MENU
SEARCHLast month, several hundred people were watching Joshua Peters as he played the game RuneScape from his parents’ home in St. Cloud, Minn. A video of Mr. Peters shows him suddenly leaving his computer when police officers appear at the house and order him and his family at gunpoint to lie face down on the ground.
Swatting is the act of calling in a fake active shooter or hostage situation in order to trigger a tactical police response. (Photo: File Photo)
Practical jokers have delighted for years in tormenting celebrities at home by calling in bogus reports of violence and provoking huge police responses.
Now they have found a way to turn their pranks into an instant public spectacle by setting their sights on a new set of victims: video gamers who play live on the Internet, often in front of huge online audiences.
Last month, several hundred people were watching Joshua Peters as he played the game RuneScape from his parents’ home in St. Cloud, Minn. A video of Mr. Peters shows him suddenly leaving his computer when police officers appear at the house and order him and his family at gunpoint to lie face down on the ground, the New York Times reports.
Someone had called 911 claiming Mr. Peters had just shot his roommate. Shortly after defusing the situation, Mr. Peters returned to his live stream and tearfully rebuked the culprit, whom he assumed was among his audience. Mr. Peters, 27, said 20 to 30 people on the Internet immediately claimed responsibility for the hoax, but he has no idea why they picked on him.
Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.
Read More →
The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.
Read More →
Over the next two years, the Ohio DFR Pilot Program will equip municipalities with advanced drone systems, deliver comprehensive training for first responders, and enable FAA-approved Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations.
Read More →
A motor officer, Sgt. Caleb Eisworth was on his way to participate in a funeral escort when he was struck by another vehicle.
Read More →
Inside the bedroom officers found what they believed to be an IED. The officers evacuated the house and called for the Chattanooga Police Bomb Squad and ATF agents.
Read More →
Sergeant Greg Graff was “preparing school leaders for the upcoming year during a safety training program at Clearwater High School,” the school district said.
Read More →
ATF Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper said definitively that only one grenade detonated at the facility on July 18.
Read More →
LASD said Detective Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Detective Victor Lemus, and Detective William Osborn who were all assigned to Special Enforcement Bureau’s Arson Explosives Detail were killed in the incident.
Read More →
The Maryland State Police Aviation Command Trooper 7 crew, the MSP helicopter based in California, Maryland, were monitoring the county dispatch radio, overheard the dispatch, and self-launched.
Read More →
At press time the names of the deputies had not been released. Sheriff Robert Luna said one had served for 19 years, another for 22 years, and another for 33 years.
Read More →