Quick Hit: Swatting spree includes North Carolinian
NC's Matt Van Swol was the target of a swatting incident; FBI Director says agency is investigating
Over the past few days, various media personalities and conservative accounts on Elon Musk’s X platform have found themselves to be the targets of swatting incidents.
On Mar. 13, Nick Sorter said in a post on X that his dad and sister were both swatted.
In a separate post, Sortor listed other individuals who have been recently targeted in the same manner, which included political commentator Gunther Eagleman and Trump impersonator Shawn Farash.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement on X about the rise in swatting attempts, stating in part, “The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.”
North Carolinian Matt Van Swol, who has been vocal about issues related to Hurricane Helene recovery in the western part of the state, was swatted in the early morning hours of March 16.
Van Swol posted that someone called police claiming he had murdered his wife.
Van Swol also posted that it was his birthday and the swatting happened while his three children were asleep upstairs.
In a fourth post, Van Swol wrote, “Everyone is ok, but very scared. I want to thank the first officer on the scene for his swift action and cool head.”
He went on to write that “luckily” his wife had answered the door and that the “situation diffused quickly otherwise things could have turned out differently.”
Van Swol included a picture of the officer at their door with his gun drawn taken from their doorbell security camera and added, “I can’t believe this.”
Since the publication of this article, Van Swol released video of the swatting encounter in an X post.
Van Swol is the latest in a series of disturbing incidents involving North Carolinians and elected officials in the state.
Sen. Thom Tillis has received violent death threats via phone calls to his offices, while Congressman Chuck Edwards was screamed at during a town hall in Asheville this past week.
Also, Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin, the Republican in the still unresolved NC Supreme Court seat race, has received hundreds of threats.
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