Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty
Prank calls to the authorities –better known as swatting– that get your residence surrounded aren’t reserved for vindictive gamers.
Just ask Nicki Minaj, the subject of a swatting last Monday when child services anonymously received a call of alleged child abuse at her LA residence. But once cops showed up at her house, they spoke to her and her husband, Kenneth Petty, and saw nothing wrong with their 2-year-old son; they determined it was likely a prank.
“Our sources say deputies chalked it up to a swatting call, and officers want everyone to know these sorts of calls are a huge waste of time and resources,” writes TMZ.
While that may have been a big disruption for Minaj’s family, it was hours later that the same thing happened again. This time it occurred around 3 a.m. when an unknown caller said her home was on fire. But again, when emergency services showed up at her house, everything appeared peaceful.
While resources are wasted during these pointless calls, they also serve as a danger to people in the residences because the police or FBI arriving on the scene approach with the thought that they’re in danger.
That fear came true in 2017 when a man named Tyler Barriss swatted Andrew Finch by telling cops that he fatally shot his father and was holding the rest of his family hostage. When police arrived at Finch’s house and he stepped outside his home, they shot him to death.
“We hope that this will send a strong message about swatting, which is a juvenile and senseless practice,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister at the time. “We’d like to put an end to it within the gaming community and any other context. Swatting, as I’ve said before, is not a prank.”
Clearly, people have still not understood how serious and deadly swatting can be. See how Twitter’s reacting below.
