Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: call of duty, HRL, swatting

Call of Duty-Motivated "Swatting" Prank Ends in Death of Unrelated Victim

Published Sat, 30 Dec 2017 13:38:33 -0600

A fight broke out between two Call of Duty players Thursday night that resulted in a "swatting" prank in Wichita, Kansas. The prank involves calling a SWAT team to the house of the target. However, in this particular instance, the fake 911 call gave the address of a totally unrelated 28-year-old father of two. The man was shot and killed by police.

The victim, identified as Andrew Finch, was gunned down on Thursday night after cops received a disturbing 911 call from a man who claimed he shot his father and was holding his mother and younger brother hostage. "I shot him in the head and he's not breathing anymore," the caller said, according to a recording released by the Wichita Police Department.

The caller then added, "I might just pour gasoline all over the house, I might just set it on fire."

A seven-year veteran officer of the Wichita PD shot and killed the 28-year-old as he came to the door to investigate the commotion caused by the SWAT team. The Wichita Police Department have since released audio of the 911 call and video showing the SWAT team's arrival at Finch's home Thursday night. Finch was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

Those responsible for the prank were two Call of Duty players who were competing in a $1.50 money match last night, based on Tweets shared through the Call of Duty community. At the end of the match, two players on the losing team began arguing. The first player, "Miruhcle," apparently sent an address to the second, "Baperizer," likely in an attempt to bait them. Baperizer then sent that address to a third party known for swatting. The address given to Baperizer was not Miruhcle's home address, but rather that of an unrelated person.

Los Angeles police have arrested 25-year old Tyler Bariss, a gamer who was allegedly involved in the swatting prank.

We will keep you updated as this story develops.

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