Tyler Barriss, the man responsible for a Call of Duty Swatting call that resulted in the death of Andrew Finch, a 28-year-old father of two, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of 51 federal charges. Two other individuals are currently awaiting trial for the same case.

Barriss has been on trial since 2017 after he made a false police report that resulted in a SWAT team being dispatched to Andrew Finch's home, where Finch was shot and killed after allegedly reaching for his waistband. Barris had intended to send a SWAT team to the home of Shane Gaskill after a Call of Duty wager with another man, Casey Viner, went sour. However, Gaskill provided a fake address which set off the chain of events leading to Finch's death. Barris was extradited to Kansas due to state charges for his crimes, but those were dropped, as the federal penalty resulted in a harsher sentence. Viner and Gaskill are still awaiting trial for their role in the incident.

Barriss has a long history of calling SWAT teams and making bomb threats, though this was the first time anyone had died as a result of such a call.

Swatting is an all too common fad among a certain demographic of people online. Needless to say, the practice is incredibly irresponsible, and it's surprising that only one person has died as a result of the "prank." Practically no one is safe either, as one of the most recent Swatting victims was a 12-year-old. Hopefully, the harsh sentence Barris received will act as a deterrent for anyone else that is considering making a fake call.

Since the incident, some states have taken measures to ensure that nothing of the sort happens again. Kansas passed anti-swatting legislation following the shooting, and it seems likely that other states will follow suit should any other incidents take place. And while there's little that can be done for Finch's family and friends, at least they can have some closure that the person primarily responsible has been punished. Hopefully, Viner and Gaskill will also receive sentences equal to their roles in the call.

Source: Game Informer