An innocent woman has lost her life in a "swatting" incident targeting Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.).

66-year-old Tammy Pickelsime was killed Monday after a police officer rushed to respond to a bomb threat that turned out to be fake.

"The Rome Police Department extends its heartfelt condolences to the Pickelsimer family during this difficult time. The department holds the individual responsible for sending the threatening email fully accountable for setting this tragic chain of events into motion," the police said.

Deadly hoax

This is the ninth "swatting" incident - referring to false threats made to trigger a police response - to target Greene.

While often seen as a symptom of rising incivility in America, swatting incidents are not always caused by domestic bad actors. This particular incident in Georgia came from a perpetrator living outside the country.

The email mentioned the war in Palestine, but the message was traced to a Russian IP address, police said.

Rome Police sent bomb technicians to investigate the threatening message, which said Greene's mailbox had been rigged to explode. But the threat was bogus.

A police sergeant who was heading over to join the bomb squad, unfortunately, crashed into a car as it was pulling out from a private lot and into the path of the officer, Georgia State Patrol said.

MTG responds

The cop hit the brakes but it did not stop his car from slamming into the front left door of the other vehicle. The other driver, 66-year-old Tammy Pickelsime later died at a hospital. The police officer, David Metroka, survived with minor injuries.

Greene condemned the deadly hoax in a post on X.

"I’m sick to my stomach, but I’m also angry. This should have never happened and I pray it never happens again," she said.

"These violent political threats have fatal consequences," she wrote. "The officer was responding to protect my life. And now, a woman has lost her life because of this despicable act."

"'The perpetrator of this crime has committed murder in our small community of Rome, Georgia," she wrote.

The Republican congresswoman said she is working with local police and the FBI to bring the foreign perpetrator to justice.

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… https://t.co/eGaUoZkMWs

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 10, 2024