GUILTY KS - Andrew Finch, 28, killed by LE in 'swatting' prank, Wichita, 28 Dec 2017 *civil trial 2022*

[Lilibet]

Totally agree regarding stiff penalties for anyone who makes a fake call that results in injury or death.

But, I cannot give a law enforcement officer who shoots and kills an innocent, unarmed civilian a free pass and not even consider their actions. He or she is the one who pulled the trigger.

moo

I don’t think he’s being given a free pass at all. There will be an investigation. While it may come out in his favor (or not), he will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life. He’s human and I can’t imagine he’s shrugging this off like Tyler Barriss did in his interview. Tyler Barriss deliberately set up a situation that could easily lead to someone getting hurt or killed. The officer who shot Andrew Finch went there with the sole purpose of preventing further killing. I think that’s important to remember.

I expect and hope that every incident like this is examined and analyzed so that the number of police shootings will diminish significantly. I wish every policeman could have nerves of steel and perfect split-second judgement, but they are all individuals, not robots, and as much as I’d like perfection, realistically it’s not possible.
JMO

 

[JaxFlaGal]

Tyler Barriss, the guy who made the "swatting" hoax call, was actually interviewed by DramaAlert before he was arrested. To say he was nonchalant about the whole thing is an understatement! I expected a ghetto smack talker, but his speech is clear, calm and straightforward -- which makes everything even more bizarre!

Start watching the Youtube at 4:50 for the interview:

[video=youtube;cCHOI39nJPM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCHOI39nJPM[/video]

Wow!
No apparent remorse - though I bet the prosecution has a field day with his statement at 6:46 in the DramaAlert clip 6:46 "I don’t believe that I’m the only guilty party” - so that means he believes he is a guilty party.

Krebs on Security wrote about the crime and also posted a link to a Wichita journalist's Periscope feed of the LEO presser. I'm assuming since the Periscope feed is a confirmed journalist's at the confirmed presser, it's ok to repost here: https://www.pscp.tv/w/1lPKqponlzQxb?t=9m10s

This (presser from before the arrest), included the 911 call in full, the 7-second video, and a detailed timeline. While I'm not a professional, I'd say any layman can listen to this SWATter interviewed on DramaAlert, and then the 911 call, and it's undoubtedly the same person speaking in both calls.

Here are my notes from the Timeline (provided at 20 min mark) followed by other LEO info provided in the presser
6:18 City building security officer (not substation) got call. Caller said there’d been a disturbance and he’d hit his father over the head with a loaded gun. Security officer called 911. They got cut off (sounds like the SWATter got cut off at that point)
6:18 caller said he’s shot his dad in the head and he was not breathing
6:19 caller stated holding his mom and brother at gunpoint in the closet
6:22 said didn’t mean to kill his dad
6:23 caller said he wanted to kill himself and light the house on fire
6:41 caller staed he had a black handgun on him
6:42 caller stated he was by his mom’s closet
6:43 caller stated mom and brother were in the closet in the master bedroom. Stated closet towards the back of the house (my note: his response to dispatch question about specific location) . Also stated pointing the gun at his mom and his brother and was not going to put the gun away
6:44 caller advised he’d poured gasoline all over the house and he was thinking about lighting it
6:43 was when the individual on the front porch was shot

Video at 22:17 mark from an officer body cam – very short (7 seconds)
In a clarifications section at 24.13 LEO said 6:46 was when the individual was shot.
28-year-old was not armed. Movement in the video was suspicious (rapid movement to waistband and back up again).
Several commands given – on the video you saw the officer across the street (on North side of the street)– who was standing next to the officer that fired the shot. Officers next to the house were also giving commands that you cannot hear on the video.

 

[LietKynes]

Can barely post -- without it becoming a long paragraph of curse words.
Sick MF'r ; this T. Barriss !!!
Wish he could be put in prison .... until he's carried out in a pine box.

It's hard to believe he only did 2 years for calling in the bomb threat.
Un-freaking believable.
Please make an example of him and ensure that he spends the remainder of his days in a small cell.

An innocent man will no longer be able to enjoy a sunset or have a meal with friends and family .

Why should TB get to have a life ?
And anyone who engages in a 'swat' prank should be dealt with in the severest manner. Imo.

Spoke on the phone with my sister , and also my mom today.... people among many that I cherish.
I am lucky to have family in my life -- Andrew's family now only have photos and maybe some videos of him to watch. They have an empty place in their hearts .that will never be filled.

Rest gently, Andrew !!! My utmost condolences to his loved ones !

 

[Jax49]

I don’t think he’s being given a free pass at all. There will be an investigation. While it may come out in his favor (or not), he will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life. He’s human and I can’t imagine he’s shrugging this off like Tyler Barriss did in his interview. Tyler Barriss deliberately set up a situation that could easily lead to someone getting hurt or killed. The officer who shot Andrew Finch went there with the sole purpose of preventing further killing. I think that’s important to remember.

I expect and hope that every incident like this is examined and analyzed so that the number of police shootings will diminish significantly. I wish every policeman could have nerves of steel and perfect split-second judgement, but they are all individuals, not robots, and as much as I’d like perfection, realistically it’s not possible.
JMO

I agree with much of what you say, but please understand my comment was in response to the previous post which suggested the officer's actions should not be considered.

moo

 

[LietKynes]

I don’t think he’s being given a free pass at all. There will be an investigation. While it may come out in his favor (or not), he will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life. He’s human and I can’t imagine he’s shrugging this off like Tyler Barriss did in his interview. Tyler Barriss deliberately set up a situation that could easily lead to someone getting hurt or killed. The officer who shot Andrew Finch went there with the sole purpose of preventing further killing. I think that’s important to remember.

I expect and hope that every incident like this is examined and analyzed so that the number of police shootings will diminish significantly. I wish every policeman could have nerves of steel and perfect split-second judgement, but they are all individuals, not robots, and as much as I’d like perfection, realistically it’s not possible.
JMO

SABBM

That. ^^^^

Couldn't agree more. The blame is solely upon TB.

 

[K_Z]

^^ Thanks for annotating that, JaxFlaGal.

I think Tyler Raj Barriss would score pretty high on Robert Hare's Psychopathy checklist. Sure seems like lots of repeated psychopathic behavior to me.

I hope he can be extradited to Kansas to face charges there, in addition to California. Potentially he can be charged with federal crimes, I think, because his crimes crossed state lines. Federal courts are less "squishy" than state courts, IMO-- they are much more organized and focused. I'd like to see him charged federally, not just in California. I think he'd end up doing more time-- more charges, stiffer penalties. He's a repeat offender for the same kind of crimes, which I think should be considered, but probably won't.

 

[katydid23]

Here is something else that really angers me, about this 'swatting' trend.... ...



So now, if one's daughter and grand babies are being held hostage by an enraged ex-husband, and she is able to call 911 secretly....


The police will arrive, but will be wondering if it is a swatting, and not really an endangered family inside the home....so the police will probably hold back and wait longer than usual, to take action...

 

[K_Z]

I also want to say, I'm actually glad police responded robustly to this call, even though the outcome is horrifying, incredibly sad and frustrating. But the opposite-- a lackluster response to life and death calls, would be MUCH worse for all of us.

The real danger we're headed toward is that too much time could end up being spent validating calls, which could mean more lives lost in *actual* dire hostage shooting situations.

I don't want police to develop a sense of "oh, another one, probably a hoax" with these calls, because more often than not, they are legitimate.

As mentioned by a poster above, we have to remember that police were responding to what they thought was a legitimate life and death call. I'm thankful every day for our police and first responders. Yes, mistakes are sometimes made, but thankfully it's rare relative to the millions of calls nationwide.

 

[Jennifer17]

Here is something else that really angers me, about this 'swatting' trend.... ...



So now, if one's daughter and grand babies are being held hostage by an enraged ex-husband, and she is able to call 911 secretly....


The police will arrive, but will be wondering if it is a swatting, and not really an endangered family inside the home....so the police will probably hold back and wait longer than usual, to take action...

Well, IMO, shooting the first person you see is not the way to handle it. I can't imagine how terrified that young man was, with police with guns trained on him and shouting instructions at him from two directions. I wouldn't blame him if some nervous tic he had took over.

 

[katydid23]

Well, IMO, shooting the first person you see is not the way to handle it. I can't imagine how terrified that young man was, with police with guns trained on him and shouting instructions at him from two directions. I wouldn't blame him if some nervous tic he had took over.

Of course it is frightening. Which is exactly why you need to do EVERYTHING that is being commanded. KEEP you hands raised, and kneel down, etc etc... You do not want to be seen as a threat.

 

[Tawny]

Of course it is frightening. Which is exactly why you need to do EVERYTHING that is being commanded. KEEP you hands raised, and kneel down, etc etc... You do not want to be seen as a threat.

He was at the door. He had no hostages. There were multiple officers. There was no reason to open fire immediately. No reason. None. Not one. Nope. Nothing that citizen said or did caused his death.

 

[K_Z]

I agree with much of what you say, but please understand my comment was in response to the previous post which suggested the officer's actions should not be considered.

moo

BBM for emphasis.

I'm not the OP, but I interpreted that comment very differently. My interpretation is that the police officer's actions shouldn't be considered as to whether Tyler Barriss should face charges for what he did. Of course the officer's actions are relevant, but TB's actions should be charged on what HE did. He called in a false terroristic situation, and police took it seriously and responded. The specific details of what police did or didn't do simply aren't relevant to the fact that Tyler Barris, IMO, set in motion very intentionally, and with malice, the events that produced the death of an innocent victim. That is what should be admissible at TB's trial, IMO. "HOW" the police responded is not relevant to TB's culpability, IMO.

I think TB should be charged with about a half dozen very serious felonies, state as well as federal.

I don't think we know enough YET about police procedures and what exactly happened, to say that the officer should or shouldn't face any criminal charges.

 

[Jax49]

Dozens attend vigil for victim of police shooting

http://www.kten.com/story/37165453/dozens-attend-vigil-for-victim-of-police-shooting

“A lot of questions,” said Jason Barton. “ I hope that [the family] get answers.” Barton lives a short distance from the Finch home and says he wants everyone involved to be not only transparent, but accountable. “Not just police, but everybody,” he said.

 

[TeaTime]

This is so horrible. My gosh, this 'prankster' got a person killed. What kind of jack *** thinks this is funny? "Swatting"? RU kidding me?

 

[Jax49]

This is so horrible. My gosh, this 'prankster' got a person killed. What kind of jack *** thinks this is funny? "Swatting"? RU kidding me?

Unbelievable isn't it. I'm very interested in what they can be charged with. Hopefully something with significant prison time. moo

 

[Lilibet]

I agree with much of what you say, but please understand my comment was in response to the previous post which suggested the officer's actions should not be considered.

moo

Sorry, I didn’t see that post. I went and looked and I still don’t. Guess I’m skimming too fast. But I understand now what you meant.

 

[Jennifer17]

Unbelievable isn't it. I'm very interested in what they can be charged with. Hopefully something with significant prison time. moo

And hopefully with a court order disallowing him from accessing the Internet. That gaming site, I hope has already banned him.

 

[TeaTime]

Of course it is frightening. Which is exactly why you need to do EVERYTHING that is being commanded. KEEP you hands raised, and kneel down, etc etc... You do not want to be seen as a threat.

Absolutely, even if it was all a hoax and you know you've done nothing wrong - do exactly what they tell you to do and you will not end up dead. Cops do not want to kill people, they want to save them. Don't make them even think they must choose between you and them going home that night, you will never win that one.

Surely, the man who was killed was shocked at the presence of police but in the end - do what they say. I am not sure I could carry out the orders, because I would faint and I hope I would faint l face first on the ground with my hands and legs spread. But, I hope I wouldn't get testy.

 

[Jax49]

Sorry, I didn’t see that post. I went and looked and I still don’t. Guess I’m skimming too fast. But I understand now what you meant.

Thank you. KZ pointed out I may have misunderstood the post.

 

[Jennifer17]

Thank you. KZ pointed out I may have misunderstood the post.

No, you did not misunderstand the post.