Call of Duty argument leads to fatal swatting - Report
Police kill 28-year-old Kansas man in response to bogus 911 call placed over a $1.50 wager match
A 28-year-old father of two was killed by Kansas police officers last week, apparently the tragic outcome of a dispute over a Call of Duty: World War II match he had no part in. According to a Wichita Eagle report, Andrew Finch was killed by one of the Wichita police officers responding to a bogus 911 call of an ongoing hostage situation where someone had already been shot in the head.
Esports site Dexerto reported that the match in question took place December 28, with a $1.50 cash wager at stake on the UMG Online competitive gaming site. After the match, some of the participants argued, one was threatened with swatting, and responded by giving a false address for the other to swat. The next morning, UMG's official Twitter account said, "We woke this morning to horrible news about an innocent man losing his life. Our hearts go out to his loved ones. We will do everything we can to assist the authorities in this matter."
According to NBC News, 25-year-old Tyler Barriss of Los Angeles was arrested Friday on a fugitive warrant in connection with the swatting incident. Kansas authorities won't announce the charges Barriss faces until his first court appearance in the state, according to a Rolling Stone report.
The officer who shot Finch is on paid leave pending an investigation. The Finch family has set up a GoFundMe page to pay for funeral expenses for Andrew.
Swatting has become sadly well known in recent years, both in and out of the gaming industry. In 2013, the FBI estimated that roughly 400 swatting calls are made each year.