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[Gowans]

British man charged after US gamer is shot by Swat police following hoax terrorism call

The 'swatting' craze sees computer gamers make fake calls to implicate other players in serious crimes

A man from Coventry has become the first Briton to be charged by police over the ”swatting" craze that sees computer gamers make fake calls to police to implicate other players in serious crimes.

Robert McDaid, 21, is alleged to have called a terrorism hotline in the US state of Maryland posing as a man called Tyran Dobbs.

Claiming to be armed with a gun and several bags of explosives, he said that he would kill three hostages unless $15,000 (£12,000) was delivered in a red bag to his address.

Taking the threat seriously, armed police then raided Mr Dobbs' home and shot the 20-year-old between the eyes and in the chest with rubber bullets, breaking bones in his face and bruising his lungs. Images taken after the incident show him with a heavily swollen, bruised and cut face.

After realising their error, investigators said they traced the call to Mr McDaid, who has now been charged in the US with three offences, including conspiracy to produce false information and hoax. He faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence if convicted.

The US Department of Justice said Mr McDaid was reportedly acting at the request of an American gamer called Zachary Lee, who contacted the Briton via an internet telephone service in February 2015 and asked for his help in ”swatting" Mr Dobbs.

Mr McDaid is said to have responded: ”I'll do it when I'm up".

The ”swatting" trend – named after the Specialist Weapons and Tactics (Swat) teams that often respond to the calls - has seen police respond to hundreds of false reports by raiding the homes of completely innocent people who have been reported by their online rivals.

Mr Lee has been charged with the same offences as Mr McDaid.

Maryland US prosecutor Rod Rosenstein, who has been nominated by Donald Trump to be Deputy Attorney General at the US Department for Justice, said: ”We are working with officials in the UK to ensure that Robert McDaid is held accountable for his alleged actions because the alleged criminal activity represents a grave threat to public safety."

Mr Dobbs, meanwhile, has criticised police for their response and asked why they did not check the authenticity of the call before acting.

Officers reportedly ignored his father, Tom, and his cousin telling them there was no hostage situation and that the so-called hostage taker was actually asleep.

In an interview with US news channel ABC7, Mr Dodds said: ”How did y'all not trace this call back? How did y'all not figure out where it came from?" I want justice. I want them to pay for my medical damages and I want whoever shot me in my face to have to do some time."

The Independent was unable to reach Mr McDade for comment.

Source:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...sm-maryland-shot-gun-explosives-a7677071.html
http://metro.co.uk/2017/04/11/man-f...ting-us-gamer-who-was-shot-by-police-6567057/
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...or-hoaxer-charged-after-us-gamer-shot-by-cops
https://www.pcgamesn.com/uk-man-charged-with-swatting

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Throw the book at him.

 

[Mesoian]

These people need to go to jail.

 

[Alavard]

Throw the book at him.

The officers too.

 

[Off-Kilter]

Straight up attempted murder.

Fuck that guy.

 

[jonno394]

Awful and glad the guy has been caught. Not too far away from me either.(Birmingham-Coventry)

The officers too.

Why?

 

[CrunchyB]

Throw the book at him.

My thoughts exactly, holy shit this is some dangerous fuckery.

 

[benicillin]

Would be nice if they made an example out of him. This stuff is beyond disgusting.

 

[Ballthyrm]

Well that what happens when you live in a "Shoot First, ask questions later" training policy.

 

[LiK]

Holy shit, hope that guy gets the maximum sentence and the cops get disciplined.

 

[L Thammy]

Good that the callers were charged, but why were the police shooting?

 

[jonno394]

Good that the callers were charged, but why were the police shooting?

At least they were rubber bullets. Thank Christ for that.

Police took that seriously, acted on assumption the guy was armed and had explosives. I understand why they acted how they did. Don't condone it though, but if they hadn't and this was a real situation, they could've been killed.

 

[llehuty]

Some sectors of the gaming community are so fucked up. Disgusting.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

Theyre making examples of both the briton and the american who called him to do a swat(Lee)

Fuck em both.

 

[iMax]

Why?

For shooting an unarmed, innocent man posing no threat square in the face?

 

[Dynomutt]

Wow. So many ways this could have been prevented. No sympathy for the swatter. Play stupid games and your pay the price.

For shooting an unarmed, innocent man posing no threat square in the face?

You would think in 2017 there's policies and procedures to prevent this. At least some type of process where the information is quickly verified. You can tell that they know they fucked up here.

 

[ebullientprism]

1 Give him the whole 20 years. And then some. With no getting out early.
2 Why the fuck did the officers just shoot a guy who was clearly unarmed and not a threat without at least attempting to have communication?

 

[Lashley]

Make an example of the fucking idiot

Police need investigated too

 

[GreekWolf]

Hey, here's a solution. Let the kid heal up, then give him a free swing with a sledgehammer at Mr. McDaid and Mr. Lee. State of Maryland needs to cough up a million dollars to the family as well.

 

[Vital Tundra]

Police need to be shit on, and those 2 guys should be hanged with attempted murder.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

Police took that seriously, acted on assumption the guy was armed and had explosives. I understand why they acted how they did. Don't condone it though, but if they hadn't and this was a real situation, they could've been killed.

If I call the police here in Germany and tell them my neighbour has bombs, explosives and such stuff, you can be sure they will first investigate whether thats true instead of raiding a house and shooting my neighbour...

Disgusting behaviour from the "troll" though. I dont have a clue why swatting is funny....

 

[swarley64]

Absolutely crazy... What the fuck was the motive? I mean since we know who the perpetrators were in this case, does anyone know why they had it in for Dobbs?

 

[BitStyle]

Swatting is so fucked.

Officers need to be taken to task over his injuries too

 

[Dyle]

Incredible luck that the cops were using rubber bullets, he would have been dead if most other departments had taken that call.

Is swatting still a thing? It seems like it's died off since since some of the callers started getting arrested and charged

 

[Tain]

2 Why the fuck did the officers just shoot a guy who was clearly unarmed and not a threat without at least attempting to have communication?

we can probably make some guesses here

 

[L Thammy]

At least they were rubber bullets. Thank Christ for that.

Police took that seriously, acted on assumption the guy was armed and had explosives. I understand why they acted how they did. Don't condone it though, but if they hadn't and this was a real situation, they could've been killed.

Apparently the person they were subduing was asleep though. I can understand them being defensive because a dangerous criminal isn't necessarily going to state that they're a dangerous criminal, but there didn't seem to be any sign of real danger whatsoever.

Absolutely crazy... What the fuck was the motive? I mean since we know who the perpetrators were in this case, does anyone know why they had it in for Dobbs?

Probably sadism.

 

[Shiggy]

How crappy are US cops? That looks horrible.

If I call the police here in Germany and tell them my neighbour has bombs, explosives and such stuff, you can be sure they will first investigate whether thats true instead of raiding a house and shooting my neighbour...

Exactly.


Different question, but does the UK extradite its own citizens?

 

[Inuhanyou]

The officers need to be held to account too. I understand life and death situations. But "LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS" apply to literally anything and end up hundreds of wrongful deaths a year.

Learn something about police brutality

 

[jonno394]

Apparently the person they were subduing was asleep though. I can understand them being defensive because a dangerous criminal isn't necessarily going to state that they're a dangerous criminal, but there didn't seem to be any sign of real danger whatsoever.

Ah i didn't read that bit.

 

[kulapik]

If I call the police here in Germany and tell them my neighbour has bombs, explosives and such stuff, you can be sure they will first investigate whether thats true instead of raiding a house and shooting my neighbour...

Disgusting behaviour from the "troll" though. I dont have a clue why swatting is funny....

How can you be so sure about that?

 

[Released]

First I've heard of someone actually getting injured badly from one of these. Glad the perpetrators were caught, and I hope they investigate the officers too.

 

[Xyber]

Guy sure was lucky that rubber bullet didn't hit one of his eyes at least..

 

[amdb00mer]

I say send a clear message and send them to jail for life and for the "kiddies" that do this trial them as adults and give them the same punish.

 

[iMax]

Guy sure was lucky that rubber bullet didn't hit one of his eyes at least..

Didn't consider this. What a terrifying thought.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

atleast they were rubber bullets

 

[Jimnymebob]

1 Give him the whole 20 years. And then some. With no getting out early.
2 Why the fuck did the officers just shoot a guy who was clearly unarmed and not a threat without at least attempting to have communication?

He won't get anywhere near 20 years obviously, but hopefully it'll be closer to that than to 20 weeks.

And yeah, I can't fathom a reason why the officers would have needed to shoot him.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

How can you be so sure about that?

Because I am a law graduate and I know what policeman have to follow before even shooting someone. Shooting a shot in germany is an administrative act in a legal sense, so policemen will think twice before even firing a shot.
Also besides that there are other procedures to follow and that means to confirm first whether its true or not what a random person says...

 

[inky]

He faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence if convicted.

Hope they both do every second of it.

And fucking hell, police officers, calm your fucking tits. You have no other procedures to verify this shit first? It took going through the pleading family, shooting a sleeping guy and almost leaving him blind for you to realize he was no threat? Jesus Christ.

 

[Vigilant Gambit]

I want whoever shot me in my face to have to do some time.

Considering he's an unarmed black man that was shot by a cop, there is a near-zero chance of that happening.

 

[geordiemp]

Glad I live in the UK, US law enforcement sounds nuts.

Police in UK would be up for manslaughter for killing an un-armed and non threatening member of the public, they would loose their jobs and be up for trial.

In fact special armed response would stake out before going in and shooting first, and then asking.

Heck in the UK they would need a CONFIRMED threat before TSAR the suspect, never mind raising a fire arm and actually shooting the guy.

Gun culture is crazy in the US

 

[Graciaus]

I hope this story is just missing a piece of it and a SWAT team didn't just shoot a sleeping kid in the face because they were told he had bombs.

 

[dave is ok]

First I've heard of someone actually getting injured badly from one of these. Glad the perpetrators were caught, and I hope they investigate the officers too.

atleast they were rubber bullets

People have died before

 

[KingParappa]

Jeez man...

People do the most smh

 

[NoKisum]

Maryland Police? Shit, I'm surprised their overly aggressive selves knew what rubber bullets even were.

 

[L Thammy]

Swatting is such a bizarre, horrifying situation. The police are being equipped like an army, and that army is being commanded by manchildren with phone lines.

 

[Prithee Be Careful]

For shooting an unarmed, innocent man posing no threat square in the face?

Yup, reconnaisance is a thing...

Maybe have a quick glance through the window before you kick in the door and empty rubber ballistics into someone's face.

 

[TheGameshark]

I will never understand what goes through these people's heads.

 

[StereoVsn]

So yes, trolls that need to do jailtime aside (and serious one because this was clearly a situation that could have caused death), what the fuck is going on with the police that basically broke into the house, ignored father and cousin of the guy, then shot a dude who was sleeping (well, probably waking up at that point due to noise) in the face and chest.

How in all hells is that acceptable?! I live in DC tri-state area and man, this shit is just extremely aggravating. Officers in questions should be suspended pending the investigation. Did anyone bother to check the situation at all before shooting?!

The two fucks who called in the swatting should be given the maximum, no question.

You can't blame the officers though, they were doing their job. The higher-ups who didn't verify the info should be taken to task, though. It's ridiculous they never questioned the info.

What? Yes, you can absolutely blame the officers for not doing any reconnaissance and shooting a guy who was sleeping in the face. Mind you, his father and his cousin were in the house, stated there was no hostage situation, there was not likely to be noise, etc... How can you say that officers shouldn't have been blamed?!

 

[kromeo]

Whenever I see the word craze attached to something it invariably turns out to be complete and utter shit

 

[Iorv3th]

If I call the police here in Germany and tell them my neighbour has bombs, explosives and such stuff, you can be sure they will first investigate whether thats true instead of raiding a house and shooting my neighbour...

Disgusting behaviour from the "troll" though. I dont have a clue why swatting is funny....

The guy wasn't reporting his neighbor though, he was claiming to be the person that got swatted and said he had hostages and was going to kill them if he didn't get paid.

That's different than calling them and saying your neighbor has weapons.

There should certainly be a way for them to handle these situations to find out if the threat is real or not before acting though. They could have looked up the phone records for the actual guy and called him at his number and see what he said.