Family of man killed in fatal Call Of Duty swatting awarded $5 million settlement

A multi-million dollar settlement has been reached for the family of a man who died during a fatal swatting attack that began as an argument between Call of Duty players, five years after the incident took place.

As reported by PCGamer, the lawsuit which launched following the death of the man has now been closed, with the family awarded $5 million. If you’re unfamiliar with swatting, it’s become a major issue for streamers and gamers in recent years. Swatting refers to when someone makes a false claim to the police, prompting an oftentimes armed raid on an unsuspecting individual's home. It’s incredibly dangerous and, needless to say, should never be done. The victim is typically totally unaware about the impending raid.

It’s a criminal offence and as shown in this case, can lead to fatalities. The victim in this instance was Andrew Finch. In 2017, Finch was swatted and while those responsible for the attack were tried and found criminally liable for several different offences, the police officer who delivered the fatal shot, Justin Rapp, was not. Initially, the family sought to sue the city of Wichita for their involvement in Finch’s death. After several years though, the lawsuit was eventually changed - seeking restitution solely from Rapp.

Now, five years later, a settlement has been reached and Finch’s family will be given $5 million. Finch is the first known death relating to a swatting attack. In 2017, Call of Duty player Casey Viner made a bet with acquaintance Tyler R. Barriss through Call of Duty: WWII which resulted in Barriss phoning the police to claim that gamer Shane Gaskill was holding his family hostage. Gaskill had previously provided Viner with an address, which Viner passed onto Barriss. Gaskill no longer lived at this address though.

The home was now inhabited by 28-year-old Andrew Finch, an unsuspecting father of two who had no idea what was going on. Finch’s home was soon surrounded by armed cops. Less than 30 minutes later, Finch had been pronounced dead after being shot at the scene. Following Finch’s death, a bill has been passed in Kansas that has made swatting a class-one felony.