Investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson reported a swatting incident on Tuesday targeting her home, followed by additional attacks aimed at her daughter and husband in another town.
Swatting is a dangerous hoax where perpetrators make fake emergency calls to provoke an armed police response, often claiming the victim is armed or committing a violent crime.
Attkisson detailed the incident on X, noting that the perpetrators spoofed her phone number to place orders, signed her up for unsolicited services via email, and attempted financial transactions. She also received threatening emails, some containing explicit language, which she planned to share publicly.
Attkisson contacted the local FBI to report the swatting but expressed frustration over their response, stating that agents were uncertain about following up and did not initially collect evidence, such as screenshots of the swatting-related texts she possessed. She emphasized the ongoing nature of the attacks and the availability of substantial evidence, urging authorities to act swiftly.
This incident fits into a broader wave of swatting attacks reported in March and April 2025, primarily against conservative media personalities and public officials, as documented on Attkisson’s Substack. For example, conservative figures like Chase Geiser, Nick Sortor, Shawn Farash, and Radio talk show host Joe Pags were swatted around March 13–16, 2025, often involving hoax calls claiming violent emergencies.
Attkisson’s case is notable given her history of alleging government surveillance, including a 2015 lawsuit against the Obama administration for purportedly hacking her computers, which she claimed violated her First and Fourth Amendment rights.
No suspects have been publicly named, and the FBI has not issued a statement on Attkisson’s case.
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