A woman has died following a pipe bomb threat targeting Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s home in Georgia, leading to a fatal accident involving a responding police officer, reported by CBS News.
The Rome Police Department confirmed receiving an email Friday night from a Russian IP address with the subject “For Palestine.” The sender claimed they had placed a pipe bomb in Greene’s mailbox, describing it in detail as “a 1×8-inch threaded galvanized pipe, end caps, a kitchen timer, some wires, metal clips, and homemade black powder.”
The chilling message also threatened harm to law enforcement: “It would explode the next time anybody opens the mailbox… Even if Marjorie does not open the mailbox herself, I’m still satisfied with the prospect of some pig cops losing their lives or being injured. VIVA VIVA PALESTINA.”
Initially sent to the department’s spam folder, the threat was discovered Monday morning. The email included Greene’s correct home address, prompting police to alert her team. Though the congresswoman was not home, a bomb squad was dispatched to investigate, finding the mailbox empty.
However, tragedy struck as Sgt. David Metroka, a member of the Floyd County bomb squad, was driving to meet his colleagues at police headquarters. Metroka’s GMC Sierra collided with a Mazda Protégé pulling out of a parking lot. The Mazda’s driver, 66-year-old Tammie Pickelsimer, was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to her injuries.
Metroka sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital.
Greene expressed her heartbreak over the incident, writing on X: “I’m heartsick right now. I was just informed that an innocent woman died today in an auto accident involving a member of the Rome Police bomb squad who was responding to the threat at my home. My prayers are with Tammie Pickelsimer, her family, the officer who was injured, and all affected.”
The congresswoman condemned the threat, saying: “These violent political threats have fatal consequences. It’s an undue strain on our law enforcement who must treat them seriously.”
The FBI has taken over the investigation, while the Georgia State Patrol is looking into the fatal crash. Rome Police acknowledged the incident’s tragic outcome, stating: “The department holds the individual responsible for sending the threatening email fully accountable for setting this tragic chain of events into motion”, according to CNN.
They added that the threat “did not require an emergency response” and promised to improve protocols around swatting incidents. Greene, meanwhile, has pledged to work with local and federal authorities to address these escalating threats.
