‘I’m watching a weapon in my wife’s face:’ Horry Co. man claims he was a swatting target

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — A man known for his conservative views on social media claims he was the victim of a swatting incident early Monday morning.

Chad Caton, the national director of the Conservative Caucus, said police arrived at his home around 3 a.m. after someone called 911 pretending to be him, reporting armed men breaking into his house.

“My wife and my dog and me were all just asleep and all of a sudden it sounded like somebody crashed their car into my front door,” Caton said.

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Caton said he initially grabbed a gun for protection but put it down upon realizing the situation.

“I realized I’m being swatted right now because of whatever and whoever’s coming after conservatives,” he said. “I kept saying SWAT SWAT SWAT to my wife because ironically enough because of our friends, we talked about what we do if we’re gonna be swatted.”

He recounted the tense moments as he walked into his living room.

“Thank God I put that gun down because when I turned the corner out of my bedroom, all these lights blazers and everything just it seemed like it was coming from everywhere,” Caton said.

Caton said police instructed him to go to the front door, where he was handcuffed in his front yard.

“They put me against my garage and handcuffed me in my front yard in my boxers,” he said. “I’m watching a weapon in my wife’s face as she’s coming out of my house and I’m watching the end of his rifle shake because of his own anxiety.”

The situation was resolved that morning, but Caton is still trying to determine who made the false 911 call. However, he expressed understanding toward the Horry County Police Department.

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“I feel bad for the police officers that have to do this because they’re in a bad situation. What if I did have a gun?” Caton said.

Caton emphasized the need for national attention on swatting to prevent future tragedies. He told ABC 15 that swatting needs to be something the entire country is talking about before experiences like his end more tragically.

The FBI acknowledged awareness of the incident but declined to provide additional details. Horry County Police confirmed they responded to the incident, but the police report is still being completed.