The ATF Suggests You Call SWAT Raids on Your Exes for Valentine’s Day

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is inviting you to celebrate Valentine’s Day by getting your ex thrown in federal prison. How thoughtful:

Valentine’s Day can still be fun even if you broke up. Do you have information about a former (or current) partner involved in illegal gun activity? Let us know, and we will make sure it’s a Valentine’s Day to remember! Call 1-888-ATF-TIPS or email [email protected] pic.twitter.com/OdDIPdIzkr

— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) February 14, 2022

“Got an ex who buys or sells guns illegally?” the agency tweeted. “We would love to treat them to a Valentine’s Day surprise!” Underneath it includes a hotline, an email address, and website for revenge-minded former lovers who want to give the gift of government-sanctioned violence.

To be completely clear here: The ATF doesn’t respond to illegal gun sales with a polite knock on the door and questions. In January, for example, ATF agents swooped into Wilkes-Barre Township at the crack of dawn to raid a home, scaring the neighbors.

The ATF’s irresponsible message today encourages people to try to get their ex-lovers hit with SWAT raids, as when “pranksters” call police and falsely claim a violent crime is taking place at their target’s address, prompting officers to show up in force, weapons ready. In such cases, innocent people are terrorized—or worse. Cops killed a man in Wichita, Kansas, in 2017 when a caller pretended a hos