Video Games

Lawsuit Over Fatal Call of Duty Swatting Incident Settled for $5 Million

The Wichita, Kansas City Council has reached a $5 million settlement in a lawsuit filed by Andrew Finch’s family.

according to wichita eagleCity officials on Tuesday approved a settlement in a five-year case against Wichita police detective Justin Rapp, who murdered 28-year-old Finch despite being unarmed. The city voted 6-1 in favor of the case. threw

The whacking incident stems from an altercation between Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill during an online match in Call of Duty: WWII in December 2017. Ultimately, they made false reports of hostage-taking and murder. SWAT then surrounded Finch’s house, and when Finch, unaware of the situation, went outside to see what was going on, Rupp quickly shot Finch in the chest from 40 yards away. However, he did not pose a threat to the police. Or others in the field.

Barris, who was also linked to another swattering case in Canada, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, while Viner was sentenced to 15 months for hiring someone to make prank emergency calls. He was sentenced to prison and a two-year ban from gaming. police.

During that time, no criminal charges had been filed against him and Rupp had not been investigated by Wichita police for possible policy violations. was promoted to detective.

As for the $5 million settlement, Alma Ann Jones, a spokesperson for the Finch family, said she was happy the community contributed to the closure.

“It’s difficult to say the least,” said Jones. “I have seen this family go through disappointment after disappointment, but finally today we are united as a community. We have done this.”

The settlement will cost the city council $2 million and insurance will cover the rest.

Swatting has been a problem within the gaming community for the past decade, especially for Twitch streamers. For example, in 2019, his then-16-year-old Fortnite World Cup Champion Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf was slapped live during his stream on Twitch. No one was injured at the time.

Thumbnail credit: Getty Images

Christina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she has her love for Sonic the Hedgehog up her sleeve like a big deal – follow her on her Twitter @SonicPrincess15.

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