The Swatting That Went Too Far
The Wichita Swatting Case
In December 2017, a prank call led to a fatal police shooting in Wichita, Kansas. This was not during a robbery or a violent standoff, but over a trivial online gaming dispute involving a $1.50 bet. The case marked the first known death caused by a swatting hoax and changed how the public, law enforcement, and lawmakers think about online threats.
In this edition of Cybercrime Stories, we examine the Wichita Swatting Case in detail, uncovering the victim, the perpetrators, the legal consequences, and the hard lessons it forced into national awareness.
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What Happened in Wichita
Swatting refers to the act of falsely reporting a violent emergency to send armed police, often a SWAT team, to a targeted address. On December 28, 2017, two players of Call of Duty, Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill, got into a dispute over a small bet. Viner, located in Ohio, threatened to have Gaskill swatted. Gaskill, who lived in Wichita, Kansas, provocatively provided a previous address he no longer lived at.
Viner contacted Tyler Rai Barriss, a known serial swatter in Los Angeles, and asked him to carry out the hoax. Barriss called 911, claimed to have murdered his father, and said he was holding hostages. Wichita police, believing the situation to be real, responded aggressively to the McCormick Street address. Andrew Finch, a 28-year-old father of two, opened his front door to see what was happening. He was unarmed. Within ten seconds, he was shot and killed by Officer Justin Rapp, who said he thought Finch was reaching for a weapon.
The Victim
Andrew Finch had no connection to the gamers or the dispute. He lived at the address after Gaskill had moved out. Finch did not play video games and was unaware of any threat. His death was a horrifying result of mistaken identity. The Finch family described him as an innocent man caught in a chain of reckless online behavior. Lisa Finch, his mother, later became an advocate for anti-swatting legislation and police accountability. The family filed a civil rights lawsuit, which resulted in a $5 million settlement with the City of Wichita in 2023.
The Attackers
Tyler Barriss, aged 25, was already notorious for swatting hoaxes across the United States. He made the fatal call pretending to be a Wichita resident who had just committed a murder. He used a voice-over-IP line and provided a detailed false report to police.
Casey Viner, 18 at the time, initiated the swatting by asking Barriss to target his rival.
Shane Gaskill, 19, supplied the outdated address and provoked Viner to act.
While Barriss executed the hoax, all three played their roles in the chain of events and were prosecuted.
Law Enforcement Response
Within days of the incident, police traced the hoax call back to Barriss. He was arrested in Los Angeles and extradited to Kansas. The FBI and Wichita Police Department collaborated on the case. Wichita police admitted they lacked swatting-specific protocols at the time. Officer Rapp, who fired the fatal shot, was not criminally charged. He later received a promotion to detective, which stirred controversy.
The Finch family sued both the city and the officer, alleging excessive force. A federal appeals court ruled in 2022 that Officer Rapp did not have qualified immunity, allowing the civil case to proceed. The 2023 settlement marked one of the highest payouts for a swatting-related police killing.
Legal and Policy Impact
Tyler Barriss pleaded guilty to 51 federal charges, including making a false report resulting in death. In 2019, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison without the possibility of parole. This is the longest sentence ever given to someone for swatting.
Casey Viner pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and banned from online gaming for two years.
Shane Gaskill pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2022 and received an 18-month sentence for giving out a false address and later trying to delete incriminating messages.
The case became the first in the United States where a swatter was held criminally responsible for a resulting death. It set a new legal precedent and encouraged authorities to pursue similar cases more aggressively.
Broader Legislative Change
In April 2018, Kansas enacted a tough anti-swatting law, making it a Class 1 felony if the hoax results in death. The law allows for prison sentences ranging from 10 to 41 years.
Nationally, the case led to the introduction of several federal bills, including the Andrew T. Finch Memorial Act and the Preventing Swatting and Protecting Our Communities Act. Though not yet passed, these proposals show that swatting has entered serious policy discussions.
Seattle created the nation’s first anti-swatting registry in 2018. Residents can flag their address as a possible target, so that 911 calls to that location are reviewed more carefully. Other cities are now considering similar systems.
Latest Developments
As of 2025, all criminal proceedings related to the Wichita swatting are complete. Barriss remains in prison. Viner and Gaskill have served their sentences. Officer Rapp remains on the police force.
Swatting still occurs, although awareness and law enforcement response have improved. Courts now issue stronger penalties even in cases without fatalities. Judges frequently cite Wichita as the case that influences current cases.
How to Protect Yourself from Swatting
Swatting is difficult to predict, but these practices can help:
Swatting thrives on surprise. Preparation can save lives.
Final Takeaway
The Wichita swatting case began with online trash talk but ended with a real death. It showed how online hostility can lead to real-world consequences, including criminal convictions, lawsuits, and policy reforms. Most tragically, it cost Andrew Finch his life.
This case remains a defining moment in the history of cybercrime and a permanent warning about the dangers of weaponized misinformation. Finch’s death turned a prank into a precedent. A decade later, its legacy shapes law, policy, and emergency response across the nation.
Stay tuned as we uncover more real-life digital horrors on Cybercrime Stories.
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Student at Amity University
3wThis is so tragic. RIP Andrew Finch 🕊️ Tougher consequences should have been there for the police officer.