The New York Post has reported that, via Skype, someone had called the police stating that they where Rafael Castillo, a 17-year-old from Long Beach, NY. The caller told police that Castillo had ” just killed my mother and I might shoot more people,” also giving police Castillo’s address. The Long Island police sent helicopters and heavily armed S.W.A.T officers to the location preparing for the worst. In total over 60 police officers where called to the location which cost the taxpayers over $100,00o dollars.
The police arrived to find Castillo’s mother very much alive and Castillo in another room with headphones on locked into a Call of Duty match, oblivious to what was happening around him. Police said the caller likely traced Castillo’s IP address to his location and used Skype to call police so they could remain anonymous. Long Beach Police Commissioner Michael Tangney said that this was a case of “swatting”, where a serious crime is reported to police, with the goal being to view the police response.
The police are clearly very upset and Tangney is reported as saying the following:
“He did something so, so foolish, and so dangerous. I’m very angry — it’s a tremendous waste of taxpayer resources, it’s a tremendous danger to law enforcement.”
The caller is being pursued and if found, faces serious charges. Talk about taking a Call of Duty match way too seriously.
Via IGN