(The Center Square) – A woman died in a wreck with a member of the Rome Police Department’s bomb squad that was responding to a bomb threat at U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s residence on Monday, the congresswoman said.
Greene said she was “sick to her stomach” and angry about Monday’s incident.
“These violent political threats have fatal consequences. It’s an undue strain on our law enforcement who must treat them seriously,” Greene said in a social media post. “The officer was responding to protect my life. And now, a woman has lost her life because of this despicable act.”
Police have been called to Greene’s Rome home several times for false alarms that have required a police response, a practice known as swatting. Greene said earlier this year that she had been swatted eight times.
A man pleaded guilty in July to making threats against Greene. Sean Patrick Cirillo is awaiting sentencing on a charge of transmitting interstate threats, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Cirillo is accused of making threatening calls to Greene’s Washington office.
Greene said the incident on Monday should have never happened.
“The perpetrator of this crime has committed murder in our small community of Rome, Georgia,” Greene said. “The police shouldn’t have to respond to these threats and there should not be deaths caused at their hands.”
A new law that took effect in Georgia on July 1 upped the penalty for a first swatting conviction from a misdemeanor to a felony, punishable with a penalty of five to ten years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines. A second clause would require anyone convicted to pay restitution for any damage caused during the incident.
Greene said the threatening email was traced to a Russian IP address.
“Due to the international nature and severity of this threat, my office is collaborating closely with local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI, to ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice,” she said.
