SWAT Team Interrupts Gamer's Twitch Broadcast
“Swatting” is one of those terrible events where someone makes a prank call to get the SWAT team to raid someone's home based on false information. Well, as has been the case over the course of the last few months, another gamer has been on the receiving end of a “swatting” prank while live-streaming.
ABC News is reporting that popular Twitch live-streamer Joshua Peters, a U.S. Air Force veteran who lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota, was on the receiving end of the prank while playing Runescape.
While live-streaming to around 60,000 users, the St. Cloud SWAT team raided his home, causing him to get up from his computer and briefly shut off his live-stream. Apparently his brother and mother were in the house at the time and were frightened by the event.
ABC news has reported that the St. Cloud police force confirmed that the event did take place and that they are currently investigating it.
Peters has stated that...
According to Peters, he doesn't know exactly who pulled off the prank, but it was someone who was obviously watching the stream while it happened.
Police and Peters are working together to figure out who could have pulled off the prank.
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Peters went back to the Runescape stream to address his audience, saying...
In a separate but recent “swatting” attack, it resulted in one young man being arrested and charged with up to five years in prison. According to GaMezone, Brandon Wilson, a 19-year-old who goes by the handle of “Famed God” was charged after he falsely reported a murder at a residential home back in July, 2014. This resulted in the SWAT team showing up at the home.
As noted in the article...
This combines with other nefarious attacks by less than savory individuals over the past couple of months that resulted in DDoS attacks against PSN and Xbox Live users. It's hard to say that the gaming community will be disappointed to see someone like Wilson or the individual responsible for “swatting” Peters held accountable for their actions. In fact, I imagine a lot of people will be glad to see this kind of behavior punished. Now if only the same can be done for the group who took down Xbox Live and PSN over Christmas.
Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.