KWCH12 had an exclusive interview with Tyler Barriss, AKA SWAuTistic, the 25-year-old serial "swatter" whose phony call to Kansas police resulted in the fatal shooting of Andrew Finch is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter; giving false alarm, notifying emergency services and interfering with a law enforcement officer, and falsely reporting a felony. Barriss is currently being held in the Sedgwick County jail on $500,000 bond. If convicted, Barriss faces two to 11 years in prison.
Barriss is also now wanted by Calgary police, for a nearly identical false report the evening of December 22nd (6 days earlier) that sent more than 20 police cars to the home of another online gamer.
Barriss’ prior criminal record includes a jail sentence of two years and eight months after he pleaded no contest in 2016 to charges of making a false report of a bomb and malicious informing of a false bomb, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. Although he claims credit for over a hundred fake calls to authorities. Barriss also once threatened to kill his grandmother if she reported him for phoning a false bomb threat to a television station, news reports and court documents allege.
I have to be honest. This is a tough story for me to give my opinion about and remain remotely professional. 11 years seems way too light of a sentence. This habitual scumbag cost an innocent man his life. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said "A felony murder in Kansas is when someone dies in the course of an inherently dangerous felony." His calling in a false hostage situation not a dangerous felony? If nothing else, tougher laws need to be on the books to put people like this under the jail.... I would not make a good juror on this one.
"Of course, you know, I feel a little of remorse for what happened. I never intended for anyone to get shot and killed. I don't think during any attempted swatting anyone's intentions are for someone to get shot and killed," said Barriss from the Sedgwick County jail. "I guess they're just going for that shock factor whatever it is, for whatever reason someone's attempting swat, or whatever you want to call it."
Barriss is also now wanted by Calgary police, for a nearly identical false report the evening of December 22nd (6 days earlier) that sent more than 20 police cars to the home of another online gamer.
Barriss’ prior criminal record includes a jail sentence of two years and eight months after he pleaded no contest in 2016 to charges of making a false report of a bomb and malicious informing of a false bomb, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. Although he claims credit for over a hundred fake calls to authorities. Barriss also once threatened to kill his grandmother if she reported him for phoning a false bomb threat to a television station, news reports and court documents allege.
I have to be honest. This is a tough story for me to give my opinion about and remain remotely professional. 11 years seems way too light of a sentence. This habitual scumbag cost an innocent man his life. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said "A felony murder in Kansas is when someone dies in the course of an inherently dangerous felony." His calling in a false hostage situation not a dangerous felony? If nothing else, tougher laws need to be on the books to put people like this under the jail.... I would not make a good juror on this one.
"Of course, you know, I feel a little of remorse for what happened. I never intended for anyone to get shot and killed. I don't think during any attempted swatting anyone's intentions are for someone to get shot and killed," said Barriss from the Sedgwick County jail. "I guess they're just going for that shock factor whatever it is, for whatever reason someone's attempting swat, or whatever you want to call it."