"As Director of the FBI I have the responsibility, I'm not just going to bring a case because somebody hurt me. They did. And they continue to do it. Sh*t. My house just got swatted yesterday," Director Patel told Rogan. "It's the ultimate height of hypocrisy. They have two sets of rules. One against you, and one for them."
"Swatting" is a deadly hoax in which false life-threatening allegations are reported to police in order to elicit a reaction from the SWAT team and/or other armed law enforcement personnel. This frequently leads to police entering a residence unannounced with guns drawn, which has resulted in fatal outcomes.
According to local news reports, the incident occurred on June 3 around 11:15 am. The target was Patel's primary residence located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The caller claimed an active crime was being committed at his residence; however, police were able to determine it was a hoax before eliciting a potentially deadly response.
Tatel, 45, who is originally from New York, is the most recent victim of an ongoing swatting trend mostly targeting conservative influencers with an online presence on the social media platform X. A series of similar incidents began in March, all of which included a caller reporting deadly allegations to police and having pizza delivered to the victims' homes.
The alarming incidents sparked a reaction from Patel, who vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.
"I want to address the alarming rise in 'Swatting' incidents targeting media figures. The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable," Director Patel wrote in a March X post. "This isn't about politics - weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers. That will not be tolerated. We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes. More updates to come."
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino issued a follow-up post in April, writing on X: "SWATTING is deadly serious. The potential for serious injury or death is high. I've asked our team to double efforts to locate the people and/or groups behind it."
FBI agents have visited several victims' homes since Patel and Bongino vowed to unleash accountability.
