SWAT attacks are a gamebro's "prank". The linked video shows a compilation of 10 real SWAT attacks caught on camera, from victims who were livestreaming at the time of the attack. (To the maladaptive shits who organize these attacks, watching cops burst in on the scene of the victim's webcam feed is the ultimate power trip.)
The callers, if they are ever identified, are often young men or boys. Phone phreaker/fraudster and SWAT call pioneer Matthew Weigman made his first SWAT attack at age 14; when a girl refused to have phone sex with him on a telephone chat line.
When a SWAT team was fraudulently deployed to Ashton Kutcher's house in 2012 the caller ordering the attack turned out to be a 12 year old boy. Ultimately, the nameless kid identified as the caller was charged with four felonies, all of which were "likely to be dismissed".
The immaturity of these attackers leads the discussion about SWATing into fairly puerile territory. The NY Daily News described Kutcher's SWAT attack as getting "punked", and a "stunt", perpetrated by a "tween prankster".
Ashton Kutcher got punked — by a 12-year-old.
An unidentified tween prankster has admitted to sending a hoax 911 message that sent a SWAT team to the actor’s Hollywood Hills home on Oct. 3, authorities said Monday.
The same juvenile has also been charged with a similar stunt involving pop star Justin Bieber, whose Calabasas, Calif., digs was visited by a SWAT team that same month.
The boy admitted in juvenile court Monday to making a false bomb threat and computer intrusion related to “swatting,” and will be sentenced at a later date. He was first charged in February.
The Daily Mail used a similar headline, proclaiming the attack as
"Pranking the Prankster".
When P. Diddy was SWATed, entertainment reporters called it a "'swatting' craze", as if calling in fake homicides was like planking or the Harlem Shake.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has become the latest star to fall victim to the celebrity 'swatting' craze after a hoax caller reported that a man had been shot inside the hip-hop mogul's Los Angeles home.
More than a dozen cop cars and two police helicopters were dispatched to the scene of the alleged crime on Wednesday as they responded to the emergency call.
Authorities also secured comedian Steve Carell's property next door, but they soon discovered that the call had been a joke, reports TMZ.com.
But there's a very real toll to having a SWAT team descend on your home.
Former California Senator and current US Congressman Ted Lieu spoke to the Daily Breeze about his experiences following a SWAT attack. Lieu was targeted for drafting anti-swatting legislation, in an effort to stem the 2013 celebrity "swatting craze".
"This incident brings up emotions you never want to experience," Lieu said. "I need to decompress. "
Torrance police received a call from an operator who monitors text typing calls shortly after 1 p.m. The operator said someone purporting to be Lieu claimed he had just shot his wife, Torrance police Lt. Devin Chase said.
About a dozen Torrance police officers raced toward Lieu's south Torrance house while police officials tried to call the state lawmaker. Lieu said he was talking to someone when his cellphone began ringing. He did not immediately respond until he noticed who was calling.
"I got extremely concerned," he said. "I could tell they were Torrance police officials. It freaked me out. "
When he returned the call, "They said you didn't just shoot your wife?" Lieu said.
"My first thought was, 'Well, did someone else shoot my wife?' " Lieu said. "I got quite scared. Then, my second thought was, because I am trying to do swatting legislation, this could be a swatting call. "
Lieu gave police his wife's phone number and tried to reach her himself. But she did not answer. Lieu called a neighbor, who said the street was blocked by the police.
In the meantime, police officers - some carrying assault rifles - called Betty Lieu and asked her to come outside with her hands up. They searched the house to make sure it was safe. Lieu said he felt relief, and then anger. He arrived home about 40 minutes after the initial call.
He described the Torrance police officers who dealt with him and his wife as "extremely professional," but said "it was quite scary for my wife." Firefighters and paramedics also responded.
This is terrorism, in a word. The whole point of a SWAT attack is to frighten victims; if not have them injured or killed by police expecting a critical situation. Harper was attacked to punish her for her activism against online abuse; just as Lieu was targeted for legislation he wrote to impose heavier penalties on SWAT attacks.
Correction: Ted Lieu is no longer a Senator. Currently he is representing California's 33rd District in the US Congress.
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