Tommy Tuberville reportedly targeted in swatting call at Auburn home

On Christmas night, a fake emergency phone call caused an incident at the home of U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama when Lee County's SWAT team was sent out by mistake according to WRBL news in Chattahoochee Valley area TV station reports.

Swatting is a type of bothering where someone makes up a fake report about danger or violence happening right now so cops will rush to the person's place quickly. In 2008, the FBI began using this term.

The place where Tuberville's wife owns a home was emptied fast without any issues, said the TV station. People who live nearby talked to WRBL. They said the road was blocked and they couldn't go in or out of their homes during what happened there.

Auburn police told the channel that they're still checking into what happen but didn't say anything else. We haven't found a person we are looking for yet.

The "swatting" event happened after Tuberville stopped all military promotions since February. This was in protest against the Pentagon covering costs for service members if they needed an abortion. The Associated Press said on Dec.19 that the Senate ended his long delay with everyone agreeing, after approving 11 high-ranking military leaders.

On Christmas Day, a swatting attempt was made at US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's house in Georgia. This is reported by Associated Press. The Rome Police Department quickly found out that the phone call was not real and didn't send police to her house.

Recently, some public officials have fallen prey to fake news. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, Mayor Michelle Wu in Boston, Lt. Govs Jones from Georgia and Yost from Ohio have all been victims as per the report by Associated Press.

This year, Ohio and Virginia made swatting punishments harsher. Other places might do the same with even stricter laws in future.