INDIANA — The Indiana State Police (ISP) announced Thursday that they are actively investigating multiple incidents of “swatting” targeting members of the Indiana General Assembly. Authorities are stressing the gravity of these false reports, which pose danger and carry severe legal consequences.
Swatting is defined by law enforcement as the deliberate act of falsely reporting a serious emergency—such as a bomb threat, hostage situation, or active shooter—to emergency services. The goal is to provoke the deployment of a large-scale, tactical law enforcement response, often involving Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, to a targeted location.
One lawmaker confirmed as a recent target is State Senator Greg Goode. The Vigo County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a swatting incident that prompted law enforcement to respond to Senator Goode’s home Sunday evening.
The ISP issued a strong warning that this type of activity is not only potentially dangerous to the public, the victims, and responding officers, but is also strictly illegal.
“While the motives for this type of activity may vary, we are working diligently with local, county, and federal law enforcement partners to identify those responsible for these reckless, careless, and illegal activities,” stated Captain Ron Galaviz, Chief Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police.
The primary objective of the multi-agency investigation is to pursue criminal prosecution against those involved to the fullest extent allowed by law.
The Indiana State Police encourages the public to assist in the investigation. Anyone with information that may lead to the identification of those responsible is urged to contact the ISP.
“If you see or know something…say something,” the agency stated. Information can be emailed to the Indiana State Police at iifc@iifc.in.gov.
