L.A. man arrested in fatal 'swatting' hoax in Wichita has been accused of making false threats befor

[TomSea]

L.A. man arrested in fatal 'swatting' hoax in Wichita has been accused of making false threats before
Dakota Smith

A 25-year-old man was arrested Friday in South Los Angeles for his suspected role in a “swatting” hoax incident in Kansas that resulted in the fatal police shooting of a man.

Tyler Barriss was arrested on a fugitive warrant related to the Thursday shooting in Wichita, said LAPD Officer Mike Lopez. Barriss is being held without bail, Lopez said.

Barris was also arrested in 2015 on charges of making false bomb threats to the KABC-TV studio in Glendale. The station was evacuated after Barriss allegedly called and said there were “multiple” bombs inside.

Continued at: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-swatting-suspect-20171230-story.html

Lock him up for always or even, give him the death penalty, Kansas has it.

[truth_seeker]

This guy needs to become an example. I doubt they will, but I would applaud life.

[WingNot]

He is a Scum sucking lowlife POS.  Fry his ass.

[verga]

I don't know if I should hope that he gets arrested more than I hope he gets his @$$ sued off by the victims family.

[TomSea]

How strange and this is not my area of expertise, stories are coming out saying two "gamers" were playing "Call of Duty" and this happened!? BBC says the 2 gamers were having a "row". This is just being reported this morning.  So, maybe it's not the straight up practical joke type of prank we hear about, it's just as bad clearly. An odd turn.  I certainly wouldn't need to play any game where this kind of thing could happen.

Man arrested in 'Call of Duty' 'swatting' hoax that led to fatal police shooting
Benjamin Brown is a reporter for Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @bdbrown473.

A 25-year-old California man was arrested in connection to an online quarrel between two “Call of Duty” gamers that prompted a hoax call and led to a man being killed by police in Kansas.

Los Angeles police on Friday arrested Tyler (Raj) Barriss, who law enforcement claimed is the “prankster” who called 911 and made up a story about a kidnapping in Wichita, ABC 7 reported.

Barriss reportedly gave police the address he believed the other gamer lived.

Read more at: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/12/30/kansas-swatting-suspect-arrested-in-los-angeles.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-42525950/call-of-duty-swatting-death-explained

What a sad state of affairs.

What a load of rubbish!

[TomSea]

I don't know if I should hope that he gets arrested more than I hope he gets his @$$ sued off by the victims family.

Or perhaps this video game company can be sued as well. Certainly not my area of knowledge.

[TomSea]

Read the articles, it sounds like what is on the 911 call, is the hoaxer saying...

I've killed my father, I've poured gasoline on the house here and I'll light it up (and I believe that he has hostages), how are the police or swat team going to act to that? A very evil thing to do.

[Neverdul]

The “prankster” should absolutely be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, however, unless he, and in this case evidently not even his intended victim, knew that the SWAT team was going to shoot and kill the guy while standing in his doorway trying to figure out what the F was going on, at most they can probably charge him with is calling in a false police report, wire fraud for hiding the origins of the call and perhaps reckless endangerment or deprived indifference. As I understand this crime of SWATING has no proscribed penalties and perhaps that needs to change. Of course since he has a prior record of calling in false bomb threats, hopefully they will come down even harder on him.

But once again an itchy fingered SWAT cop shoots and kills an unarmed man. Shades of the Daniel Shaver case.

All the guy did was to go to his front door to see what all the sirens and lights were about and from what I’ve heard was shot through his screen door, which the police removed for “evidence” but claiming he (Finch) reached into his waistband. 

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[DB]

The “prankster” should absolutely be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, however, unless he, and in this case evidently not even his intended victim, knew that the SWAT team was going to shoot and kill the guy while standing in his doorway trying to figure out what the F was going on, at most they can probably charge him with is calling in a false police report, wire fraud for hiding the origins of the call and perhaps reckless endangerment or deprived indifference. As I understand this crime of SWATING has no proscribed penalties and perhaps that needs to change. Of course since he has a prior record of calling in false bomb threats, hopefully they will come down even harder on him.

But once again an itchy fingered SWAT cop shoots and kills an unarmed man. Shades of the Daniel Shaver case.

All the guy did was to go to his front door to see what all the sirens and lights were about and from what I’ve heard was shot through his screen door, which the police removed for “evidence” but claiming he (Finch) reached into his waistband. 

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Yes, I believe the police are also responsible for his murder. Very very wrong all around.

[Neverdul]

Or perhaps this video game company can be sued as well. Certainly not my area of knowledge.

Why should the video game company be sued? They didn't tell or suggest to their players to SWAT anyone.  Isn't that like trying sue gun manufacturers when some nut job goes on a shooting spree?
 

[DB]

The “prankster” should absolutely be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, however, unless he, and in this case evidently not even his intended victim, knew that the SWAT team was going to shoot and kill the guy while standing in his doorway trying to figure out what the F was going on, at most they can probably charge him with is calling in a false police report, wire fraud for hiding the origins of the call and perhaps reckless endangerment or deprived indifference. As I understand this crime of SWATING has no proscribed penalties and perhaps that needs to change. Of course since he has a prior record of calling in false bomb threats, hopefully they will come down even harder on him.

But once again an itchy fingered SWAT cop shoots and kills an unarmed man. Shades of the Daniel Shaver case.

All the guy did was to go to his front door to see what all the sirens and lights were about and from what I’ve heard was shot through his screen door, which the police removed for “evidence” but claiming he (Finch) reached into his waistband. 

! No longer available

From the video you posted the police where never in danger when they shot him even if he was reaching for his waist. In addition the house wasn't a single story house like the caller claimed. Very disturbing...

[TomSea]

Why should the video game company be sued? They didn't tell or suggest to their players to SWAT anyone.  Isn't that like trying sue gun manufacturers when some nut job goes on a shooting spree?
 

I said perhaps, we don't have the full story. There is probably no liability but we do not have all the facts so far.

I'm not the one saying this guy should only be prosecuted for a false police report,  from what we know he and the other guy possibly as well, got this man killed.   

[DB]

I said perhaps, we don't have the full story. There is probably no liability but we do not have all the facts so far.

I'm not the one saying this guy should only be prosecuted for a false police report,  from what we know he and the other guy possibly as well, got this man killed.   

What?

Two guys got in a dispute while playing a game online.

One of the two guys called in a false claim claiming he's the other guy (the victim) and just killed his dad and was threatening to burn the house down with the other family members in it. The police go to where he claims he's calling from and shoot the other guy dead for answering the door with bright lights shining in his face with no clue what's going on.

The online game is irrelevant.

Between the guy who called the police and the police they murdered the victim. Period.

The police where not being threatened by the guy who answered the door. The police were too far away and behind barriers to be under any real threat.

The guy who made the call and the police officer who fired the shot should be charged with murder. The caller being an accessory before the fact to it.

The police have an obligation to determine the situation before killing people, particularly unarmed people. The house didn't even fit the description the caller gave, single story verses two story.

Very, very wrong.

[DCPatriot]

This guy needs to become an example. I doubt they will, but I would applaud life.

He should be made to experience a half-dozen or so execution 'hoaxes'...until the real one.     

[TomSea]

Or perhaps this video game company can be sued as well. Certainly not my area of knowledge.

Some reports say the UMG video game online company is indeed being looked at. Perhaps they should have some safeguards in place. This story will take a few days if not weeks or months, to ferret out.

[TomSea]

What?

Two guys got in a dispute while playing a game online.

One of the two guys called in a false claim claiming he's the other guy (the victim) and just killed his dad and was threatening to burn the house down with the other family members in it. The police go to where he claims he's calling from and shoot the other guy dead for answering the door with bright lights shining in his face with no clue what's going on.

The online game is irrelevant.

Between the guy who called the police and the police they murdered the victim. Period.

The police where not being threatened by the guy who answered the door. The police were too far away and behind barriers to be under any real threat.

The guy who made the call and the police officer who fired the shot should be charged with murder. The caller being an accessory before the fact to it.

The police have an obligation to determine the situation before killing people, particularly unarmed people. The house didn't even fit the description the caller gave, single story verses two story.

Very, very wrong.

So, the caller only has responsibility for making a false report?

They might be more they can get him on. Anyone making such a call should be aware that there could be serious ramifications. The caller too, may not have even got the right address down.

[TomSea]

A twitter user who apparently was this "Barris" fellow, boasted that he would not end up getting caught. Glad they did.

[DCPatriot]

So, the caller only has responsibility for making a false report?

They might be more they can get him on. Anyone making such a call should be aware that there could be serious ramifications. The caller too, may not have even got the right address down.

I've been wrestling with this event all morning after my initial visit to the thread.

Calling in a false police report is the only actual crime here.   In his mind, no different than pulling the fire alarm in the school auditorium.

The REAL issue here is how the local law enforcement handled the on-scene situation. 

[Just_Victor]

Or perhaps this video game company can be sued as well. Certainly not my area of knowledge.

Call off Duty just provided the communication means for the disagreement.  It would make about as much sense to sue the phone company because he used a phone to call the police.

[TomSea]

No federal swatting laws exist, but a number of federal charges could be filed, such as obstruction of justice, attempted obstruction and wire fraud. Wire fraud, Callan said, is "a catchall statute for these new crimes that haven't been anticipated."

State authorities could file a homicide charge, he said.

"It might be a reckless homicide because when you do something like this to set up a raid by a SWAT team on an innocent family, you're putting people's lives in danger," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/31/us/swatting-legal-ramifications/index.html

We will see, it sounds like they do have this incident on video. A lot of reports out there.

Okay, the "Callan" in the above report is only CNN's own legal analyst.

[jpsb]

Two people should be charged with capital murder. The cop, and the caller. Fry them both.

[TomSea]

Call off Duty just provided the communication means for the disagreement.  It would make about as much sense to sue the phone company because he used a phone to call the police.

Actually, this company UMG provided the communication, gaming platform but again, that would be a matter for the law to decide.  There could be some protocol that was not followed that could find the company at fault.

https://www.dexerto.com/news/umg-releases-a-statement-following-kansas-call-of-duty-swatting-tragedy/41544

Dexerto, an online news service focused on gaming, reported that the series of events began with an online argument over a $1 or $2 wager in a "Call of Duty" game on UMG Gaming, which operates online tournaments including one involving "Call of Duty."

"We woke this morning to horrible news about an innocent man losing his life," UMG spokeswoman Shannon Gerritzen said in an email to The Associated Press. "Our hearts go out to his loved ones. We are doing everything we can to assist the authorities in this matter." She declined to disclose other details.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/ap/national/police-prank-related-to-online-game-led-to-police-shooting/article_ba38c42e-0fe4-5135-8b50-caa209e74a6b.html

[TomSea]

Reckless Homicide Law and Legal Definition

Reckless homicide is the killing of another person by a reckless act. In some states, involuntary manslaughter committed by use of a motor vehicle is called reckless homicide. Laws governing reckless homicide vary by jurisdiction.

In general, "recklessly" means that a person acts recklessly with respect to circumstances surrounding the conduct or the result of the conduct when the person is aware of, but consciously disregards, a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the accused person's standpoint.

More: https://definitions.uslegal.com/r/reckless-homicide/

Maybe they could get him on this.

We know, the law has long worked on cases such as a bartender who serves a drunk who ends up killing people, those laws have been refined with time but perhaps similar principles are at work here. One person has such grossly irresponsible behavior, it's more than filing a false police report that someone stole your coin collection or keyed your car.

[Sanguine]

Maybe they could get him on this.

We know, the law has long worked on cases such as a bartender who serves a drunk who ends up killing people, those laws have been refined with time but perhaps similar principles are at work here. One person has such grossly irresponsible behavior, it's more than filing a false police report that someone stole your coin collection or keyed your car.

But, playing video games does not cause physical/mental impairment.  I don't see any culpability on the part of the game people. 

[bigheadfred]

With premeditation and malice, the caller used an instrument--the police--that resulted in the wrongful death of a person. He fries.

The police (officer), especially a more (supposedly) highly trained SWAT team member, went trigger happy and wrongfully killed an unarmed person. He fries.