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I wonder what´s it going to take before politics, the law system and the police (all over the world) puts the foot down on the so-called “Swatting prank calls” (it´s a prank that a person do by calling the police or SWAT on someone, by faking an emergency call). As it spreads like the plague all over the world.

Swatting is nothing new though, it´s been going on for years. But it seems like it happens more often now than ever before. I mean, it´s just been 1.5 months ago since i wrote about the “Koopatroopa787” case (“The moment when Koopatroopa787 got stormed by the police“).

And since then, there´s been a handful of Swatting prank calls, which has resulted in pure terror for the targeted victims. And not even celebrities are safe from the Swatting pranks either.

As both Ashton Kutcher and Justin Bieber has had their homes raided by Swat teams in the past.

There was no celebrities involved in the Tipton County (USA) Swatting case though. This time it was family instead. As someone thought that it was a really funny (and good idea) to pull a “April fools” Swatting prank call on them.

This time it was a family from Tipton County USA, that became the victims of a swatting prank call.

Luckey enough though, no one got harmed during the SWAT raid. But a lot of people got scared, and the raid costed the US taxpayers quite a lot of money.

And here´s the thing, as the swatting incidents occurs more often now. It´s just a matter of time before a joke get´s turned into a huge tragedy.

I actually asked “Boogie2988” if there´s ever been a person that’s been arrested and punished for “Swatting pranks”. But i never received an answer (his a busy guy, so i don´t blame him).

So i started to dig myself, and the answer is yes. For starter, a 15-year-old kid (Paul Horner) got convicted of ” Domestic Terrorism” because of his swatting prank.

And that gave him a 25 years to life in federal prison conviction. Then you got the case with the 13-year-old kid from Camarillo, California US (the kid that swatted a Minecraft rival).

Who confessed to three acts of “Swatting”. Do to his young age though, he was released back to his mother´s custody. Detective Gene Martinez of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, pointed out that Swatting pranks “are considered computer crimes” though.

Then you got that new US law about Swatting that passed in January this year (“The new anti-swatting law“). Which basically charges the Swattung callers a fine up to $10,000, for falsely reporting an emergency to reimburse the city departments (police, SWAT, the fire department and so on).

That´s a good start at least. But why did it take so long for the politics and the law system to act up on the Swatting pranks?

So what do you guys/girls think about all of this? And have you ever been a target for a Swatting prank?

Source:
wmcactionnews5.com

thecamarilloacorn

Robin “V-Act” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround