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Naples, FL - A hoax emergency call prompted law enforcement to respond to Sen. Rick Scott’s residence in Naples on Thanksgiving morning, marking the second time in less than a year that the senator has reported being targeted in a suspected swatting attempt.
Scott said local authorities notified him early Thursday that officers had been dispatched to his home after someone reported a false incident.
The senator was not at the residence at the time, and he confirmed that no one in his family was harmed.
Scott referenced a similar situation in December 2023, when police were sent to his home after an anonymous caller falsely claimed there had been a shooting on the property.
No injuries occurred in that incident, and investigators later determined the report was unfounded.
Law enforcement has not released information identifying a suspect connected to either call, and no arrest report has been made public for verification.
Swatting involves making deceptive emergency calls that prompt a significant police response to a location where no crime has occurred.
Federal investigators have warned that these hoaxes can put both officers and civilians at risk due to the nature of the response.
Public officials in several states have also reported being targeted.
Scott said he supports stronger criminal penalties for individuals who allegedly participate in swatting.
He has proposed legislation intended to increase federal consequences for those convicted of filing false emergency reports.
Authorities continue to review the Thanksgiving incident, and no further details have been released.