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

[TomSea]

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

What if his application was mistakenly accepted? I think there could be potential for quite a few things to go wrong.

The Texas Church shooting was horrible, we also know, that it looks like that gunman had no right to buy weapons and that the air force did not file the appropriate paperwork to notify others that he should not be sold firearms. Things like that can happen.

[Sanguine]

What if his application was mistakenly accepted? I think there could be potential for quite a few things to go wrong.

The Texas Church shooting was horrible, we also know, that it looks like that gunman had no right to buy weapons and that the air force did not file the appropriate paperwork to notify others that he should not be sold firearms. Things like that can happen.

Application?  I'm not aware that you need to apply to play online games.

[WingNot]

What this asshat did was tantamount to yelling "Fire" in a crowded Theater and people die because of his actions.   

Fry his ass.

[LadyLiberty]

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.

According to other reports, the SWAT'er gave the police the wrong address, so the guy who was killed didn't have anything to do with the Call of Duty gaming argument:  http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/unarmed-kan-man-killed-cops-victim-swatting-prank-article-1.3726171

[thackney]

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.

Very good analogy.  Absolutely correct.

[DCPatriot]

According to other reports, the SWAT'er gave the police the wrong address, so the guy who was killed didn't have anything to do with the Call of Duty gaming argument:  http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/unarmed-kan-man-killed-cops-victim-swatting-prank-article-1.3726171

...which further, places the scrutiny SOLELY on the law enforcement agency involved in the shooting.

[Sanguine]

...which further, places the scrutiny SOLELY on the law enforcement agency involved in the shooting.

'fraid so.  Sounds like it simply shouldn't have happened.

[DCPatriot]

'fraid so.  Sounds like it simply shouldn't have happened.

Carelessness.  Stupidity.  Ignorance.

Thirteen people including a 1 year old, died in that recent NY apartment fire. 

The cause?  A 3 year-old playing with a tabletop burner and/or range.  Imagine living above him and losing your entire family that way.

Fix the mistake.  Let social media judge the "Swatter".  And find an existing law that he broke by reporting a phony emergency across State lines.

[TomSea]

What this asshat did was tantamount to yelling "Fire" in a crowded Theater and people die because of his actions.   

Fry his ass.

Absolutely, I see this guy's poor mother on TV talking about it. Well, I hope they are generously reimbursed for all of this but it's the gamer who caused the original stir.

[TomSea]

According to other reports, the SWAT'er gave the police the wrong address, so the guy who was killed didn't have anything to do with the Call of Duty gaming argument:  http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/unarmed-kan-man-killed-cops-victim-swatting-prank-article-1.3726171

This about a mistaken address might heighten the caller's liability in this matter some. I did hear that. It is more than a "false report" matter.

[GtHawk]

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, exactly how are they culpable? the only person responsible is the ass with a history of phone threats, and he should be charged with everything possible, up to murder. This was not a prank, his call was intended to bring about very severe results.

[truth_seeker]

As I understand this crime of SWATING has no proscribed penalties and perhaps that needs to change.

You can depend on 50 state legislatures plus the federal government, to debate it for years.

[truth_seeker]

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

I watched a movie last night on Amazon Prime, titled "The Circle," starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. 2017.

It has relevance to this sad death, insofar as it is reckless young people, using social media technology to bad ends.

Not a great flick, but interesting and well acted. We all know Hanks. Watson was great in "La La Land."

[anubias]

He claimed he had poured gasoline in the house and intended to light it up with the hostages inside.  He will never receive what he deserves, but short of a match and some fuel, a dry-cap electric chair would do.

[TomSea]

Wichita Eagle:

What charges could the suspect face in swatting hoax that ended in death?
By Amy Renee Leiker aleiker@wichitaeagle.com

It was still unclear Tuesday exactly what criminal charges 25-year-old Tyler R. Barriss might face for his alleged role in last week’s swatting call that left an innocent man dead from police gunfire in Wichita. Wichita police investigators were scheduled to meet with prosecutors Tuesday afternoon to discuss evidence in the case and mull over the possibilities.

...

Q: Could Barriss be charged with Andrew Finch’s death?

A: Maybe. There is a chance prosecutors could pursue a homicide charge using Kansas’ second-degree reckless murder or manslaughter laws. But it’s unclear whether such a charge ultimately would stick — especially if the shooting by the officer is deemed justified. The question is: Can you charge someone with murder or manslaughter when the person who actually pulled the trigger won’t be charged with the death?

In Kansas, sentences for homicide-related convictions range from probation to prison time depending on the crime and the defendant’s prior criminal history. A second-degree unintentional but reckless murder conviction carries a sentence of nine to 41 years in prison, under the state’s sentencing guidelines.

More: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article192660609.html

The article states a fellow gamer at the website may have given Barris, the accused, the wrong address. Again, a snafu like this makes me think, there is perhaps something out there, where the company itself, UMG, could have some liability.

[thackney]

Wichita Eagle:
The article states a fellow gamer at the website may have given Barris, the accused, the wrong address. Again, a snafu like this makes me think, there is perhaps something out there, where the company itself, UMG, could have some liability.

It is just bizarre you keep pushing this.  How is it different than the phone company being responsible since a call was used to make the "swat"?  Would you charge Ford or GMC in a road rage attack?  Or the highway department?

[TomSea]

We know, Barris may be charged with more serious allegations than false reports. As usual, we see folks trying to shoehorn the 2nd Amendment into this conversation but they are already wrong that the company under discussion was the company that made "Call of Duty"; one can choose to say that the online gaming company, UMG will have no liability. If one feels 100% that way, have at it but the issues are already demonstrated to be different than the one they were trying to say per trying to make this a 2nd amendment argument and righteously accusing others of what would basically be the gun-control side. So, they were already wrong in saying this was about the company that made "Call of Duty".

[DCPatriot]

We know, Barris may be charged with more serious allegations than false reports. As usual, we see folks trying to shoehorn the 2nd Amendment into this conversation but they are already wrong that the company under discussion was the company that made "Call of Duty"; one can choose to say that the online gaming company, UMG will have no liability. If one feels 100% that way, have at it but the issues are already demonstrated to be different than the one they were trying to say per trying to make this a 2nd amendment argument and righteously accusing others of what would basically be the gun-control side. So, they were already wrong in saying this was about the company that made "Call of Duty".

Some local fill-in host on talk-radio yesterday laid the blame squarely on the "Hoaxer".

Even though the police raided the wrong house.

Yes....hang the guy who unknowingly exposed the 'amateur' SWAT program.     /s

[LadyLiberty]

Some local fill-in host on talk-radio yesterday laid the blame squarely on the "Hoaxer".

Even though the police raided the wrong house.

Yes....hang the guy who unknowingly exposed the 'amateur' SWAT program.     /s

They went to the exact address that the hoaxer sent them to, and in this case, there wan't a house that was "right" to send them to because the hoaxer lied to them about a situation that didn't even exist.  Lots of blame to go around here.

[verga]

The reports I saw said that the hoaxer claimed that several murders had been committed and that the house had been doused in gasoline. I can understand someone being a little quick on the trigger if they believe there is going to be a gasoline explosion. Even though he was unarmed if they thought he had been moving to strike a spark.....
I am not saying the shooting was justified as I said in the other thread I want to see ALL THE FACTS, before condemning the cop. 

[driftdiver]

It is just bizarre you keep pushing this.  How is it different than the phone company being responsible since a call was used to make the "swat"?  Would you charge Ford or GMC in a road rage attack?  Or the highway department?

@thackney
Or a gun manufacturer for a murder

[driftdiver]

What this asshat did was tantamount to yelling "Fire" in a crowded Theater and people die because of his actions.   

Fry his ass.

@Wingnut
Yep, in spades