US Jews suffer nearly 200 swatting, false bomb threats throughout weekend

"In the past 24 hours, the Secure Community Network [SCN] has tracked a staggering 199 swatting incidents and false bomb threats across the country targeting Jewish facilities, including 93 in California, 62 in Arizona, 15 in Connecticut, five in Colorado, and four in Washington state, among others," SCN said on Saturday.

These swatting incidents and false bomb threats followed incidents over the last week in Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia, and came in the wake of both the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel as well as a record rise in security incidents and antisemitic activity across North America.

In recent days, law enforcement in Ohio and California have announced the arrest of alleged perpetrators of a high volume of swatting activity and false bomb threats.

Secure Community Network (SCN) National Director and CEO Michael Masters said in a statement “The alarming volume of swatting incidents and false bomb threats being carried out across the country is a major concern for the safety and security of the Jewish community in North America, as well as law enforcement. SCN, community partners, law enforcement, and public safety agencies take these incidents seriously and are working hard to address them. It’s critical to recognize that these are not victimless crimes or innocent pranks: they can have real – and even deadly – consequences."

A significant rise in threats

SCN has tracked more than 449 swatting incidents and bomb threats in 2023-to-date, up 541% from 2022 (83 incidents), as compared to a total of 23 between 2019-2021. In response, SCN has worked in coordination with local, state, and federal authorities to respond to these incidents and ensure coordination between law enforcement and the Jewish community across North America, to include safety and security resources and a national swatting update in conjunction with the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which over 1,400 community members and law enforcement representatives attended.

In the wake of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, the SCN has logged record highs in security incidents and antisemitic activity, with a record 772 incidents logged in October and 634 in November, up 290% from the year prior — incidents including vandalism, harassment, and assault among other acute threats and actions. In October and November alone, SCN has referred 230 individuals to law enforcement.