News
UPDATED: 15-Year-Old Gamer Who “Swatted” Rival Gets 25-To-Life
UPDATE: The story originated from the National Report – a satirical website – which has been proven to have been a hoax.
Original story below:
A teenager who called the police on a fellow gamer has been given a prison sentence of 25-years-to-life after being found guilty on two counts domestic terrorism.
According to the NY Meta, 15-year-old Paul Horner is now the first person in history to be charged with “swatting”, which is the act of making a false report, such as a bomb threat or drug possession, so that the police raid the house of an unsuspecting victim. In this case, Horner called in multiple false threats against rival online gamers, resulting in SWAT team raids of their residence.
“Swatting” is a new fad among gamers targeting those who “livestream“, broadcasting themselves and their game play live over the Internet to fans and in-game rivals alike. If a gamer is able to ascertain the personal information of a rival, by locating their IP and residential address, they will call in a dangerous threat to law enforcement and watch as the “livestreamer’s” house is forcibly entered by police.
Defense lawyers told the courtroom that Horner, who goes by the gamertag BadAssDwg69, was upset after being repeatedly beaten by a fellow gamer at Battlefield 4.
After obtaining the rival gamers information from his IP address, prosecutors said Horner called police and reported a murder/hostage situation at the home. SWAT team then raided the house, shooting and critically injuring the “Livestreamer’s” father in the process.
