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Man Charged After Fatal 'Swatting' Hoax Call Has Spoken Out

Man Charged After Fatal 'Swatting' Hoax Call Has Spoken Out

Tyler Barriss was charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fake call

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

The man accused of causing the 'swatting' incident that led to an innocent man being killed has spoken out following his arrest, saying he wishes it had never happened.

Twenty-five-year old Tyler Barriss was arrested on suspicion of making a hoax call to police in Wichita, Kansas. According to authorities the prank call involved a false story of a shooting and kidnapping, which led to the death of Andrew Finch, 28.

PA

In a recording of the call, the hoax caller tells the handler that he has shot his father in the head and is now holding his mother and sibling hostage at gunpoint. He also threatened to set the house on fire. As a result of the call, a SWAT team rushed out to the address.

As police swarmed the property, Finch went outside to see what was happening - he was given a series of commands by police, which he followed, but at one point he appeared to move his hand towards his waistband and was hit with a single shot by an officer.

ABC7

He was rushed to hospital where he later died.

Barriss was arraigned earlier this week and charged with involuntary manslaughter. Speaking in a jailhouse interview, he told ABC7: "I never intended for anyone to get shot and killed. I just wish I could have rewound somehow and just never done it."

It has since been revealed that Barriss has been linked to a number of other swatting incidents, including a fake bomb scare in October 2015.

In the interview, he also admitted that people have paid him to make swatting calls in the past, but didn't say if that was the case here.

Barriss added that he feels only partially responsible, because he was not part of the SWAT team and he didn't fire the weapon that killed Finch.

Andrew Finch's mother Lisa Finch.
PA

Speaking about the calls, he said: "There's no inspiration. I don't get bored and decide to make a SWAT call."

However, Kansas authorities believe that Finch was targeted after an argument about an online game, ABC reports.

Finch's mother Lisa told the Wichita Eagle that her son was not a gamer. She said: "He doesn't play video games. He has better things to do with his time."

She added: "What gives the cops the right to open fire? That cop murdered my son over a false report in the first place."

If Barriss is found guilty, he could be given up to 11 years in prison. He is currently held on $500,000 bail.

The police officer who fired the shot has been placed on leave.

Source: ABC7; Wichita Eagle

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: US News