Story perspectives

FBI Opens Investigation After Ithaca Swatting Scare

By Drooid · Oct 10, 2026, 11:48 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Police Swat Home

Police swarmed Jane Doe’s parents’ home in Ithaca after a false 911 report of a double homicide.
Officers pointed guns at Doe’s boyfriend, brother and father, throwing the boyfriend down.
The FBI and local police opened investigations into the swatting incident.
Gov. Kathy Hochul moved oversight to AG Letitia James; Cornell will conduct an independent review.
Doe’s lawyer reports death threats, doxxing attempts and nonstop harassing calls.

Summary

Giuffra Details Swat Terror

Thomas Giuffra, Doe’s attorney, told CNN she feels “terrified” for safety after the swatting.
Doe spent a day taping paper over windows to block outsiders from seeing inside.
Giuffra said Doe’s father described officers having “guns put in his face,” fearing lethal outcomes.
Released dispatch audio shows the operator confirming “nothing going on” after the false call.
CNN aired the dispatch video, letting viewers hear officers deem the tip bogus.

History

Historical Context

The December 28 2017 swatting of Andrew Finch in Wichita—triggered by a false 911 call from Tyler Barriss after an online gaming dispute—ended when Officer Justin Rapp fatally shot Finch. Barriss received a 20-year federal sentence, and the case spurred nationwide calls for tougher anti-swatting laws, a debate now revived after a similar hoax-driven raid in Ithaca.

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Police Swat Home

Police swarmed Jane Doe’s parents’ home in Ithaca after a false 911 report of a double homicide.
Officers pointed guns at Doe’s boyfriend, brother and father, throwing the boyfriend down.
The FBI and local police opened investigations into the swatting incident.
Gov. Kathy Hochul moved oversight to AG Letitia James; Cornell will conduct an independent review.
Doe’s lawyer reports death threats, doxxing attempts and nonstop harassing calls.

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