Sex. Celebrity. Politics. With Teeth
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Sex. Celebrity. Politics. With Teeth

Congresswoman Critical of Gamergate Says She Was Targeted at Home by Active Shooter Hoax

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, who’s called for better enforcement of laws against online harassment, says someone called police Sunday night to falsely report an active shooter at her home. Clark told the Boston Globe that officers descended on her front lawn, some armed with long guns.

Clark has successfully urged the Department of Justice to devote more time to investigating and prosecuting severe online harassment, specifically calling out the terrifying threats directed at Zoe Quinn, Brianna Wu and Anita Sarkeesian by Gamergate fans. For her trouble, as the Globe was first to report, she was the victim of swatting, where someone calls in a false report of an active shooter or other dangerous emergency. It’s designed to provoke a heavily armed police response, and can be deadly.

Advertisement

Melrose Police spokesman John Guilfoil told the Globe that the department received “a recorded telephone call with a computer-generated voice” shortly before 10 p.m. on Sunday night. The caller referred to “shots fired and an active shooter” at Clark’s address.

In a statement, Clark said she, her husband, and two of her children were home at the time, and thanked the police for their “timely and professional response.”

“My family and I are grateful to Chief Lyle and the Melrose Police Department for their timely and professional response,” said Clark. “No mother should have to answer the door to the police in the middle of the night and fear for her family’s safety simply because an anonymous person disagrees with her. I’m relieved that no one was hurt, but the sad reality is, these hoaxes known as “swatting” are a danger to victims, first responders, and our emergency preparedness. This is the exact reason that I introduced the Interstate Swatting Hoax Act – I want perpetrators to know that there are legal repercussions to their actions, and I’m committed to giving law enforcement the tools to deter these dangerous crimes.”

Advertisement
Advertisement

Clark introduced a bill in November that would make swatting a federal crime, which is probably just a fun coincidence.


Contact the author at anna.merlan@jezebel.com.
Public PGP key
PGP fingerprint: 67B5 5767 9D6F 652E 8EFD 76F5 3CF0 DAF2 79E5 1FB6

Advertisement

Rep. Katherine Clark. Photo via AP Images