On Thursday night, Wichita, Kansas police shot and killed 28-year-old Andrew Finch while responding to a false report about a hostage situation. The so-called prank known as “swatting” occurred as a result of two Call of Duty teams bickering over the outcome of a game. One player reportedly threatened to make the swatting call, and the other player dared him to do it, but provided him with the wrong address which led to Finch’s death.
Now Los Angeles police have arrested 25-year-old Tyler Barriss in connection with the deadly prank, who goes by “SWAutistic” online and tweeted about the prank, “I DIDNT GET ANYONE KILLED BECAUSE I DIDNT DISCHARGE A WEAPON AND BEING A SWAT MEMBER ISNT MY PROFESSION. [sic]” His account was subsequently suspended.
Barriss later essentially confessed to the crime while participating in a phone interview with the gamer show DramaAlert on YouTube. This also isn’t the first time Barriss has gotten himself in trouble for placing phony calls.
An LAPD spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that Barriss is in custody, no bail has been set, and that they are working with Wichita police on the case. The LA Times reported in 2015 that he had been arrested for calling in a bomb threat to a TV studio, and in the YouTube video, SWAutistic claims to be responsible for bomb threats that interrupted an MLG Call of Duty event in Dallas earlier this month.
It’s not known at this time what Barriss will be charged with, but it seems safe to say he’s allegedly made his last prank call.
(Via Engadget)