Patrick Tomlinson and Niki Robinson endured 55 swatting incidents over about two and a half years after Tomlinson posted a 2018 tweet criticizing comedian Norm Macdonald. The first swat, on July 25, 2022, woke Tomlinson naked and handcuffed on his front porch; subsequent hoax calls repeatedly brought armed officers to their Milwaukee home, sometimes multiple times a day. Internal memos and bodycam footage show police were aware the couple was being targeted - an officer requested the address be flagged as a "swatter house," but a captain rejected the idea - yet officers continued to respond and, on several occasions, entered and searched the house without warrants or permission.
The couple sued the City of Milwaukee and accepted a US$575,000 settlement; the payout is not an admission of liability. U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller found that officers violated Tomlinson’s and Robinson’s constitutional rights but nonetheless granted qualified immunity to several officers, and no callers have been charged or officers disciplined. Their lawyer says the city has made no policy changes, and Tomlinson urges disciplinary action and a formal swatting response policy while continuing to speak publicly to raise awareness that ordinary people - not just public figures - can be targeted.
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