Federal prosecutors have announced that three men are facing criminal charges in the swatting death of 28-year-old Andrew Finch in Kansas. Tyler Barriss, the suspect accused of making the call to local police that led to Finch's death, has been awaiting trial in Kansas for involuntary manslaughter. However, federal prosecutors building their case have also indicted 18-year-old Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill, 19, for their parts in the Call of Duty swatting incident in December 2017.
According to the indictment, Viner and Gaskill were teammates in a "Call of Duty" matchup when they became embroiled in an argument. Gaskill posted an address to a home online and challenged Viner to "try some [expletive]," according to court records. The address on West McCormick Street in Wichita was one where Gaskill had previously lived, according to the indictment, but Viner did not know that.
Viner then asked Barriss to swat Gaskill. Barriss, who was in Los Angeles, made a call to authorities in Wichita, falsely claiming he had just shot his father and was holding his relatives at gunpoint at the West McCormick Street address.
When police arrived, they shot and killed Finch, who was unarmed, after he exited the residence. Finch was not the intended target, and police quickly discovered no one had been injured or held at gunpoint at the home.
The two new indictments charge Viner and Gaskill with wire fraud, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Viner faces and additional charge with one count of conspiracy to make false reports. The charges stem from all parties attempting to delete communications among themselves after Finch's death.
Barriss faces up to life in prison for his part in the crime, while Viner and Gaskill could spend up to 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice charges. No charges have been brought against the officer involved in the deadly shooting.
You can read the full story at the Los Angeles Times.
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