As reported by Eurogamer on Thursday, August 28, the founder of the popular YouTube channel “The Creatures” has become a victim of a hoax call resulting in a SWAT team barging in on him during a livestream and arresting him.
The act is coined as “swatting”, which involves a hoax-call that prompts police authorities to bear down on unsuspecting innocent victims. The victim in question, Joran “Kootra” Mathewson, was in the middle of livestreaming Counter-Strike before he was interrupted by an armed SWAT team.
” Uh oh, this isn’t good, ” Kootra is heard saying during the livestream as he becomes aware of a commotion outside. ” They’re clearing rooms – what in the world? I think we’re getting swatted. ”
Shortly thereafter the SWAT team barged in, weapons raised, and shouted Kootra to the floor where he was then arrested. Still being livestreamed, the whole incident was visible to all, even as Kootra was handcuffed and searched, and even as he was trying to explain the situation.
The incident happened due to an anonymous call from an “active gunman”, in which local police responded to, according to an ABC 7 News Denver affiliate .
“ The caller claimed to have shot two co-workers, held others hostage, and threatened to shoot them. He stated that if the officers entered he would shoot them as well, ” a police spokesperson explained.
” There were no victims or any evidence that a shooting had taken place. If the investigation determines that today’s incident was a hoax, those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. ”
According to Eurogamer, swatting has become enough of a problem that a law was passed in California to make sure that hoax callers play the full cost of an emergency SWAT response, which amounts to $10,000 as well as the possibility of up to a year in prison.
The whole incident can be viewed in full viewed in full via the embedded video below. The Creatures channel has yet to publicly comment on the matter. We’ll bring you more news on this story should further information reach our ears.
[ Eurogamer ]