Rick Scott’s home in Naples swatted; caller allegedly reporting hostage situation

Rick Scott

Naples Police responded to a false report of a shooting at U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s home. Reports show a caller claimed to have shot a woman inside the house.

The Naples Republican posted online the event occurred while he and his wife, Ann Scott, were not home.

“Last night, while at dinner with my wife, cowards ‘swatted’ my home in Naples,” Scott posted on X. “These criminals wasted the time and resources of our law enforcement in a sick attempt to terrorize my family. Ann and I want to thank (the) Naples Police Department and Collier County Sheriff’s Office for all they do to keep us safe.”

Naples Police spokesman Lt. Bryan McGinn confirmed police dispatch received a 911 call on Dec. 27 at 9:02 p.m. claiming a shooting occurred. Police confirmed the alleged incident occurred at home on the street where Scott lives.

An incident report shows a caller claimed to be a resident of the home. The caller identified himself as “Jamal” and said that he “shot his wife with an AR-15 because she was sleeping with another dude.” The caller also claimed to be holding his wife’s boyfriend, “Michael,” hostage and that he would blow up the house with a pipe bomb if he weren’t given $10,000.

“Within 15 minutes, we determined the incident did not occur and it was a swatting event,” McGinn said.

Police called all patrol units in the immediate area to respond. The report shows police met private security at the home and a guard was unaware of any incident. Police officers conducted a perimeter search, including checking all doors and windows for forced entry. 

“The residence was empty,” McGinn said. “Nobody was home.”

Police called Scott while he was at dinner, according to Scott spokesperson McKinley Lewis. The incident report shows Scott then came home and allowed officers to conduct a full search of the house, and determined nothing matched the details reported by the caller.

McGinn said police are investigating the origin of the call, and the perpetrator could face charges.

Swatting refers to the practice of intentionally and falsely reporting a dangerous crime, prompting the dispatch of a SWAT team or other law enforcement resources.

Florida in 2021 enacted a law holding individuals responsible for violence that may occur as a result of swatting. McGinn said in this case, an individual could be charged with filing a false report.

Under state law, an individual making a swatting call could also be charged with a third-degree felony if great bodily harm occurred to any individual as a result of the call. If law enforcement response resulted in a death, the person behind a false report could be charged with a second-degree felony.

Swatting has become more prominent in recent years, often targeting political figures. Just this week, several prominent politicians were targeted during the holiday season.

On Christmas Day, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, said her home was swatted for the eighth time, as reported by Newsweek. The same day, a similar event targeted the home of U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, a Texas Republican, according to The Citizen.

And in Boston, a false report was made of a shooting at the home of Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu, according to The Boston Globe.