KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A hoax emergency report to the home of East Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) over the weekend led to an emergency response by the Knox County Sheriff's Office, according to Communications Director Kimberly Glenn.
"Sheriff Spangler, and they were on the spot in a hurry, in full force," Burchett said. "We happened to be out having a nice dinner."
An email sent to several city and county officials on Saturday night said someone committed a murder at an address in North Knox County. That address belonged to Burchett.
"I caught my wife cheating on me at [Burchett's Address]," the email said. "I killed the guy she was with and tied her up."
The full email is below. WBIR blurred Burchett's address to protect his privacy.
Several other lawmakers said they were victims of "swatting," or fake emergency calls. Last month, Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Rep. Brandon Williams (R-New York) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) all tweeted they had been targeted with swatting calls.
Former South Carolina Governor and presidential candidate Nikki Haley said someone swatted her home. Police entered with guns drawn while her elderly parents were inside, she said.
"I believe it's a coordinated effort across the country," Burchett said. "Unfortunately, I have not heard anything from any of the federal authorities or the Capitol police who are supposed to be over it."
James Turgal, a former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a swatting expert, said partisan swatting is becoming more popular.
"We're just at the beginning of our election cycle and it's a really, incredibly important election cycle," he said.
Burchett said he, his wife and his daughter were out at dinner when deputies responded to his home.
"Ultimately, somebody's going to lose their life," Burchett said. "You see the potential of somebody calling in one of these to get law enforcement out of an area, or they do it so many times that law enforcement doesn't come and something bad goes down."
The email was sent to more than 30 different addresses in Knoxville and Knox County.
Burchett said he thinks this hoax call was unrelated to the students who made hoax emergency calls to East Tennessee schools last week.