8 years ago
6
That Time the Internet Sent a SWAT Team to My Mom’s House
When I set out to research the out-of-control harassment problem in gamer culture, I never dreamed my mother would be caught up in the middle of it all.
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Swatting is an interesting thing. A few of my friends have been targeted over what is pretty much nothing. (He didn't like the game we're running or something...) I was threatened too, but they failed to get good enough information on me, so for me it kind of became something I could laugh about.
We think the person who was targeting us was arrested fairly recently. He was just some 16 year old kid who ended up making a bunch of incredibly stupid decisions.
If you were threatened with swatting, it might be a good idea to contact your local PD and explain it to them and give them your address. I know a few popular streamers have done that and saved themselves & the officers some time.
I remember when it happened to "n0thing" (a popular North American Counter-Strike streamer). He caught it on stream. He said as soon as he heard the sirens (or maybe he saw something, I can't remember) he went outside fearing for his fathers life (who was doing yard work or something outside). As soon as the swat arrived he explained to them what was going on and why. They still cuffed/tie strapped both of them while they searched the house. I think n0thing even talked about it recently on the Joe Rogan pod cast (I can find a link if anyone is interested)
It also happened to the Creatures in the middle of a live stream. They had one of them lay down on the ground and cleared the office. Video of it happening here. I recommend you turn off your annotations on this video, they're pretty annoying.
I find it interesting as well that police will just go and raid a residence based on a single unverified source.
Not send a patrol car or attempt to make contact, just go and raid a house and search for stuff because someone reported them.
Well, its life or death if its not a prank.
And in this case, they didn't raid the house. They sent a SWAT team immediately, but called the house. The author's mom answered, situation was clarified, and they did a check of the house to be sure. There was no raid.