Tyler Barriss, the man police arrested for placing a fake emergency phone call to police in Wichita, Kansas that led to the death of an innocent man, has officially been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Barriss, just 25, found himself in an argument with 28-year-old Thomas Finch during a round of Call of Duty, and the pair threatened to swat each other.
Unfortunately, Barriss carried through on his threat.
Police responded to what they believed was a murder and hostage situation based on “information” received by Barriss, which ultimately led to the shooting death of Mr. Finch.
Barriss was extradited from his home in California where he faces involuntary manslaughter charges under the rules of the state of Kansas. He could face up to 136 months in jail if convicted, depending on several factors including any past criminal record.
This is not the only swatting incident in relation to Mr. Barriss, as per The Globe and Mail, he had placed another fake emergency call just six days earlier in Calgary. The fact that he’s not only repeated this same pattern of behavior but done it in a very short time span doesn’t seem to bode well for his chances.
Suffice it to say; this is a sad story, but there’s no doubt that, if convicted, Barriss needs to go away for as long as possible.
