Two young men, one from the UK and another from the US, have been charged with “swatting/” Tyran Dobbs, who was shot in the head and chest with rubber bullets by police after his home was raided.
Victim Tyran Dobbs shows media where and how he was shot by police during the raid.
As The Independent reports, in early 2015 20-year-old Tyran Dobbs was woken by police, who had entered his apartment after receiving a hoax 911 call that is alleged to have come from 21 year-old Briton Robert McDaid, impersonating Dobbs and claiming to be holding three hostages, who he would kill if he was not delivered $US15,000 ($20,000).
Accounts of what happened next differ — Dobbs’ family claim the police used unnecessary force while the official report paints a very different picture — but the facts are that, after exiting his bedroom, Dobbs was shot twice by police using rubber bullets, once in the chest and once between the eyes.
McDaid has this week been charged with making the call, along with American Zachary Lee, who is accused of being the one originally asking McDaid for his help with the swatting. The pair are reported to have met and communicated via unspecified online games.
The pair’s charges include conspiracy to produce false information and hoax, and if found guilty they face a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
Comments
16 responses to “Two Charged Over Swatting That Led To Cops Shooting The Victim With Rubber Bullets”
I don’t think they’ll need long in prison, but they must be locked up for this.
Clearly reason isn’t going to stop this kind of idiocy, time has proven that, so hard time is the only real recourse.
Fuck that, throw the book at them.
That’s pretty much what I said. Swatting hasn’t been dealt with consistently enough in the past, so even now there’s a good chance that there won’t be severe repercussions for the “prankster”.
It has to be drilled into society that you just can’t pull this kind of dangerous crap, even once. If you do, you go to jail. That association must be created.
But if you lock up an idiot for twenty years you are just making a criminal.
You could try to defend that sentence by pointing out the life-threatening nature of the police response (shot between the eyes!), but surely the protocol followed by the police also needs some serious scrutiny if they’re going in with live weapons based on one phone call!
Better than prison would be to have the police force and the victim sue the crap out of these two…then throw their asses in prison for a short while. Anyone seeking to swat in future will think twice if it means losing a whole lot of money and inability to afford video games.
They’re already are criminals, that is what you get called when you break the law. This is the straw that broke the camels back, some one was injured this time and could have been seriously injured.
They have made their bed. They can sleep in them.
Some police are just dicks. We hadn’t fired any weapons in that raid, have to make up for the quota somehow. Frank! Hold my beer and get my shotgun!
But in all seriousness, if you do this type of crap, you deserve jail. Just hope you guys get a forgiving judge and you get 2 years instead of 20.
“once in the chest and once between the eyes”
I like to think headshot. Then once he was down a quick double tap to confirm the kill.
fucking imbeciles. hope they get some real jail time.
Don’t know what’s worse. The act of swatting or the ease at which the US police use force before assessing the situation. You don’t really hear of swatting in more socially progressive countries, probably because the cops would ask questions first then shoot.
Before you make these comments, look at the numbers of US cops killed in the line of duty every year. They have reason to go in guns blazing.
Swatting has occurred in many countries, I would like to know this more progressive country you are referring to?
Again, it all comes down to the ease with which the American constitution allow its citizens to arm themselves. Less armed citizens, less wary police forces, less police brutality/excessive force, less dangerous/frightening raids, less incentive for morons to “swat”.
Honestly? Since it’s pretty bloody obvious how potentially DEADLY swatting can be (the guy was SHOT BETWEEN THE EYES, if they weren’t using rubber bullets his brains would be all over the wall!), the charge for anyone caught doing it should be on par with attempted murder. At the very LEAST it’s intentionally recklessly endangering the life of the victim. The first time someone dies as a consequence of a swatting, the swatter should go to jail for murder. I’m fucking sick of this inexcusable garbage. Drop the fucking hammer on these fucking petty, braindead trolls.
Do I have to point out being shot in the eye, even with a rubber bullet, will probably make you blind.
Being shot in the head with a rubber bullet can easily kill you. This kid is lucky and the people that did it should go away for a long time.
Sure, THIS time they were using rubber bullets…how about next time.
Gotta make an example out these guys to put it out there that this shit will not be tolerated.
Maybe swatters might finally learn when it ends with someone getting killed, and them in jail for murder.
These people should absolutely have the book thrown at them. We need to send a clear message that this dangerous behaviour is not acceptable. I hope they get jail time and sued by the victim.