Schumer: Feds need to crack down on swatting attacks

New York’s senior senator said it’s time for federal agencies to crack down on swatting attacks.

Police responded two weeks ago to more than 200 schools across the state because of phony reports of an active shooter or bomber. It caused a lot of panic and fear.

Now, Sen. Chuck Schumer is launching a plan to stop these dangerous hoax calls.

“These evil, nasty people – I don’t know what the hell their motivation is, but they’ve got to be stopped!”

Sen. Chuck Schumer

Schumer announced his three-pronged plan at Troy High School on Monday. Troy High is one of the schools that recently became a victim of a swatting incident.

Schumer said one part of the plan is demanding the FBI launch a full investigation into the latest wave of swatting calls.

Number two: put more resources towards the federal cyber investigative capabilities to stop mass threats like this from happening. Schumer said he’s pushing for over $10 million for the FBI to tackle the growing problem.

Number three: have the FBI track swatting as its own crime and issue reports on the dangers of it.
Schumer said the nasty, evil people who are making the swatting calls need to be stopped.

“Let me just tell you how traumatizing these are. This doesn’t go away,” he said. “The teachers are petrified…Teachers did a great job putting their students over themselves but it’s scary. Right away someone emails their parents, and the parents hear about it.”

“These evil, nasty people – I don’t know what the hell their motivation is, but they’ve got to be stopped,” said Schumer.