MYNORTHWEST NEWS

FBI investigating threats against COVID-19 complaint filers in Washington

May 11, 2020, 6:57 AM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 10:41 am

A closed park in Seattle, complaints...

(MyNorthwest photo)

(MyNorthwest photo)

There is another ugly side of the COVID-19 outbreak amid the state’s ongoing stay-at-home order, with the list of people filing complaints against violations of the order recently being made public on social media.

Why Jefferson County is not applying for Phase 2 right away

Bellevue made the biggest splash on this, when it unveiled an app that would allow you to report people or businesses to the city that you thought were violating the stay-at-home orders. That includes reports against groups playing together at a park or a business that someone didn’t think was essential.

The list of people that filed similar complaints around the state has been released, likely the result of a public records disclosure request. Now those people are getting threatening phone calls and emails.

The Seattle Times reports two Facebook pages have gone up posting all the information about those who filed complaints.

Snohomish towns with few COVID cases want to reopen sooner

Several people who have received those nasty calls or emails said they wish they had known their personal information was subject to public disclosure when they filed their complaints. They said they never would have filed a complaint had they known.

The FBI has been called in to investigate the threats.

MyNorthwest News

bats...

Tim Hohl

Crews narrow search for bats’ entry point after 8 found at Puyallup school

Another bat has been found inside a Puyallup elementary school, bringing the total to eight since mid-September.

10 minutes ago

chelan hills fire suspect (2)...

Tim Hohl

19-year-old arrested in connection with Chelan Hills Fire pleads not guilty

A 19-year-old man arrested in connection with the deadly Chelan Hills Fire has pleaded not guilty to all nine felony charges against him.

44 minutes ago

_SR-71 Blackbird...

Charlie Harger

Harger: Seattle’s Museum of Flight has a Blackbird. NASA is quietly trying to fly an SR-71 again after 27 years

NASA appears to be trying to fly an SR-71 Blackbird again after 27 years, but missing parts, fuel, and aging expertise make a comeback daunting.

48 minutes ago

mayor katie wilson...

Luke Duecy

Political credit before public safety? Inside Mayor Katie Wilson’s gun violence strategy, disputed quotes and stakeholder concerns

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s gun violence plan raises questions about disputed quotes and transparency.

1 hour ago

tsa standing up security airport...

Gee Scott

Gee: Wait, what?! TSA thinks officers sitting down makes airport security worse

Apparently somebody looked at airport security and decided they had found a problem with the TSA officer checking your ID not standing up.

2 hours ago

boeing speea contract...

KIRO Newsradio staff

SPEEA members approve Boeing contracts with 10% raises after rejecting earlier offer

Members of SPEEA’s Professional and Technical bargaining units ratified Boeing's four-year contract offers Thursday, securing 10% wage increases effective Friday.

2 hours ago

FBI investigating threats against COVID-19 complaint filers in Washington