Two high-ranking Republican lawmakers were targets of separate bomb threats yesterday, one of which lead to the death of an innocent bystander.
Here’s the latest on the investigation, and if authorities believe the two threats are connected.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told Newsweek that a woman has died following a car accident involving local police investigating a bomb threat at the Georgia congresswoman’s home.
Greene posted on X yesterday that Rome (Ga.) Police Department Assistant Chief Rodney Bailey had received an email about a threat targeting her, prompting a rapid police and bomb squad response.
“Prior to officers arriving on scene to the congresswoman’s residence, a Rome Police Department officer who is a member of the Floyd County Bomb Squad was involved in a traffic accident,” a Rome Police Department spokesperson told the outlet.
“This accident, which resulted in the fatality of the other driver, is being handled by the Georgia State Patrol. The officer was not critically injured.”
Troopers told local outlet Atlanta News First that the other driver, later identified as Tammie Pickelsimer, 66, died after she was taken to the hospital.
Greene said via social media that she was “heartsick right now” after hearing that the accident resulted in the death of a woman.
Greene’s spokesperson told Newsweek that the congresswoman has been the victim of swatting—where hoax emergency service calls are made to send police and sometimes armed response units to people’s homes—at least nine times since she entered office.
“These violent political threats have fatal consequences. It’s an undue strain on our law enforcement who must treat them seriously,” Greene posted on X.
“The officer was responding to protect my life. And now, a woman has lost her life because of this despicable act.”
Greene’s office also shared screenshots of the emailed threat against her and said the source has been traced to a Russian IP address.
The threat began with “for Palestine” and warned that a pipe bomb had been hidden in Greene’s mailbox.
Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett was also targeted with a bomb threat at his Tennessee home yesterday.
A source familiar with the matter told The Daily Wire said that Burchett’s Tennessee home was threatened on Monday, and that law enforcement visited the congressman.
A spokesman for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the sheriff’s office received a threat to Burchett’s home but that the threat is considered “unfounded at this time.”
Both incidents are still under investigation.
The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement:
“Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a ‘swatting’ incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.”
The threats targeting Greene and Burchett come after several of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted with dangerous threats in swatting incidents during Thanksgiving week, including Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York, Agriculture Department nominee Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Labor nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee Scott Turner, and former Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz.