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| Police shoot dead man after alleged Call of Duty 'swatting' hoax | Police shoot dead man after alleged Call of Duty 'swatting' hoax |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man has been arrested after an alleged "swatting" prank call led to police shooting dead a 28-year-old man. | |
| Andrew Finch was shot at his front door on 28 December in Wichita, Kansas. | |
| Police surrounded the home after receiving a hoax emergency call from a man claiming to have shot dead his father and taken his family hostage. | Police surrounded the home after receiving a hoax emergency call from a man claiming to have shot dead his father and taken his family hostage. |
| The call stemmed from a row between two gamers playing Call of Duty online, US media say, although the address raided was apparently unconnected to either. | |
| Police have said they believe the report was an act of "swatting" where a person makes a false report to send police to another person or fake address. | Police have said they believe the report was an act of "swatting" where a person makes a false report to send police to another person or fake address. |
| 'Innocent victim' | 'Innocent victim' |
| Audio of the emergency call has been made public. A man can be heard telling authorities that he had shot his father in the head, and claimed to have taken his mother and siblings hostage. | Audio of the emergency call has been made public. A man can be heard telling authorities that he had shot his father in the head, and claimed to have taken his mother and siblings hostage. |
| The caller also said he had a handgun and had poured fuel over the house and wanted to set the property on fire. | The caller also said he had a handgun and had poured fuel over the house and wanted to set the property on fire. |
| Police say they surrounded the address the caller had given, and were preparing to make contact with the suspect reportedly inside when Mr Finch came to the door. | Police say they surrounded the address the caller had given, and were preparing to make contact with the suspect reportedly inside when Mr Finch came to the door. |
| They said one round was released by officers after the 28-year-old failed to comply with verbal orders to keep his hands up, and appeared to move his hands toward his waist multiple times. | They said one round was released by officers after the 28-year-old failed to comply with verbal orders to keep his hands up, and appeared to move his hands toward his waist multiple times. |
| Police say Mr Finch was later found to be unarmed, and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. A search found four of his family members inside, none of them dead, injured or taken hostage. | Police say Mr Finch was later found to be unarmed, and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. A search found four of his family members inside, none of them dead, injured or taken hostage. |
| His family told local media that he was not involved in online gaming. | His family told local media that he was not involved in online gaming. |
| What is swatting? | What is swatting? |
| "The irresponsible actions of the prankster put people and lives at risk," said Wichita Police Department Deputy Chief Troy Livingston. | "The irresponsible actions of the prankster put people and lives at risk," said Wichita Police Department Deputy Chief Troy Livingston. |
| "The incident was a nightmare for everyone involved, including the family and our police department. | "The incident was a nightmare for everyone involved, including the family and our police department. |
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| "Due to the actions of a prankster, we have an innocent victim. Had the false police call not been made, we would not have been there. | "Due to the actions of a prankster, we have an innocent victim. Had the false police call not been made, we would not have been there. |
| "We don't see it as a joke, it's not a prank. It heightened the awareness of the officers, and we think it led to this deadly encounter." | "We don't see it as a joke, it's not a prank. It heightened the awareness of the officers, and we think it led to this deadly encounter." |
| US media reports that a dispute over a game led to one gamer threatening another with a "swatting", who then gave the first gamer a fake address. That address was then reportedly given to a third person, a known online "swatter", who allegedly made the emergency calls. | US media reports that a dispute over a game led to one gamer threatening another with a "swatting", who then gave the first gamer a fake address. That address was then reportedly given to a third person, a known online "swatter", who allegedly made the emergency calls. |
| UMG Gaming, the online platform where the Call of Duty game was being played competitively for a small cash wager, released a statement saying they would work with the investigating authorities. | UMG Gaming, the online platform where the Call of Duty game was being played competitively for a small cash wager, released a statement saying they would work with the investigating authorities. |
| Tyler Barriss, 25, was arrested by police in Los Angeles on Friday in relation to the investigation. | Tyler Barriss, 25, was arrested by police in Los Angeles on Friday in relation to the investigation. |
| Local reports say Mr Barris had previously been charged with making bomb threats to a local television station in 2015. | Local reports say Mr Barris had previously been charged with making bomb threats to a local television station in 2015. |
| Social media accounts reportedly linked to the incident have been suspended after a series of posts were made about the shooting. | Social media accounts reportedly linked to the incident have been suspended after a series of posts were made about the shooting. |