Swatting, innocent guy killed by cops, cop not charged (1 Viewer)

[tomwaits]

So 2 gamers were feuding over Call of Duty and one called the police and said there was a hostage situation at the other guys house. Problem is, the address that the first guy told the police was not the second guy, but some innocent random person.

Police show up, fear for their lives and the usual happens.

Police will not be charged, but the guy who called them is being charged with manslaughter.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...d-in-swatting-death-of-kansas-man/?comments=1

One of the comments on this news story made me think.

A cop in the US shows up at a random dudes house and murders him in cold blood in a non-stressful, non-escalated situation (there was clearly no hostages on site). The cop is not responsible, but the person who made the call is being changed with involuntary manslater.

Easy to miss in this ****** ****** of suck is this: For charge to hold, the court needs to be show that "The defendant knew or should have known his or her conduct was a threat to the lives of others."

in other words, the state (in going ahead with the case) is ready, willing and they believe able to proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that any US citizen should know that calling the cops on someone is very likely to lead to them being killed.

 

[Flipx99]

Well, it is a charge of involuntary manslaughter, and I think reckless adequately describes the caller's actions. Look at this way, the homeowner had no clue as to what was happening and all of a sudden he is surrounded by people bearing down on him with weapons. Not too hard to see how things might go wrong. The caller created a very confusing situation.

But, I recall looking at this in another thread and I will say the communication between 911 and the cops on the ground was horrible. There were, as I recall, lots of red flags they should have picked up on if the communication had been better.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

is this the one from like 6 months ago?

 

[staphory]

What? Never made a mistake at YOUR job?

 

[49erKiller]

We need comprehensive, common sense Activision control.

We also need to regulate EA, heavily.

 

[SaintSpyNDallas]

Ban assault phones.

 

[xpuma20x]

is this the one from like 6 months ago?

Just a glitch in the matrix.

 

[tomwaits]

This news story is recent and is focusing on the fact that the officer is not being charged.
The DA says the officer acted reasonably in shooting and killing the unarmed innocent person because he was scared.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

 

[Optimus Prime]

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A California man was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for making bogus emergency calls to authorities across the U.S., including one that led police to fatally shoot a Kansas man following a dispute between two online players over a $1.50 bet in the Call of Duty: WWII video game.

U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren sentenced Tyler R. Barriss, 26, under a deal in which he pleaded guilty in November to a total of 51 federal charges related to fake calls and threats. The plea agreement called for a sentence of at least 20 years — well over the 10 years recommended under sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors believe it is the longest prison sentence ever imposed for the practice of “swatting,” a form of retaliation in which someone reports a false emergency to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to descend on an address.

Melgren said the case went into “uncharted legal territory,” that the law has not caught up with technology and the charges didn’t address the severity of what happened....................

20 years for man behind hoax call that led to fatal shooting

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A California man was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for making bogus emergency calls to authorities across the U.S., including one that led police to fatally shoot a Kansas man following a dispute between two online players over a $1.50 bet in the Call of Duty: WWII vide

apnews.com

From the same article - this is my first time hearing this part
==============================================================

The intended target in Wichita, Shane Gaskill, 20, and the man who allegedly recruited Barriss, Casey Viner, 19, of North College Hill, Ohio, are charged as co-conspirators. Authorities say Viner provided Barriss with an address for Gaskill that Gaskill had previously given to Viner. Authorities also say that when Gaskill noticed Barriss was following him on Twitter, he gave Barriss that old address and taunted him to “try something.”...............

 

[MTDB1983]

It’s absolutely unacceptable that a policeman can shoot an innocent man dead because the mans arm made motion to a certain area. Pathetic.

My friend fought in Iraq and told me that the soldiers weren’t even allowed to shoot at enemies unless shot at first. Even if the assailant had a gun aimed at them, they still couldn’t fire.

If you are so timid that a man answering his door and motioning toward his waist convinces you that your life is in danger, you need another career. And a heck of a lot more training.

Remember when Policeman would de escalate situations? What happened to that method?

 

[Optimus Prime]

The show Web of Lies on Investigation Discovery channel had a whole episode on this

Season 6 Deadly Hoax

Very disturbing stuff

 

[IntenseSaint]

Well this is one of those times where a video game led to somebody's death.

 

[brandon8283]

Well this is one of those times where a video game led to somebody's death.

Well, yea.

As well as guns and police officers shooting innocent civilians.

But yea, this is the video game’s fault.

 

[tomwaits]

Well, yea.

As well as guns and police officers shooting innocent civilians.

But yea, this is the video game’s fault.

I think he was trying to bring comedy to a tragic situation. One of those times when the internet fails to show voice inflection and body language.