Swatting incident seeded from a "Call of Duty" feud between players over a $1.50 wagered match resulted into the death of an innocent man. A 28-year-old man from Kansas was shot dead by a SWAT officer after a fraudulent report made by gamers about a hostage taking situation at his home.
Andrew Finch did not make it to 2018 after being shot by SWAT on Dec. 28, 2017. The entire incident can be traced back from a dispute between two "Call of Duty" gamers that unfolded on Twitter. One gamer, who goes by SWauTistic, threatened the other gamer involved, 7aLeNT, that he will swat him. 7aLeNT then responded by daring SWauTistic to push through with his threat and then posted an address that is not his but the address of the victim.
SWauTistic then called the Kansas Police about a murder and hostage taking situation at the address of Finch. The victim went out his front door, and after a few seconds, was shot by a SWAT officer. According to The Wichita Eagle, an investigation is under way to determine why the officers shot Finch.
SWauTistic was later identified as Tyler Barriss, 25 from Los Angeles and was arrested by police officers.
The Witchita Police Department released an audio recording of Barriss' false report to 911 that led to the death of Finch. Barriss told 911 that Finch's address in Wichita is his own and that his mother and father were arguing that led him to shooting his own father in the head.
During a press conference prior to the incident, Deputy Police Chief Troy Livingston said, "This call was a little peculiar for us. It went to a substation first, then it was relayed to dispatch." The police department also released a video footage taken by a SWAT officer's body cam that showed Finch's death.
Finch's family, including his two sons, are now seeking justice and justification for his death. His family set up a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses.
