Swatting is not a particularly new phenomenon. The term itself emerged some time in the mid-2000s, but the basic premise of a prank 911 call goes back decades. While some countries have taken steps to criminalize these dangerous pranks, they continue to be a semi-regular occurrence. And although victims can include both private citizens and public figures of all kinds,streamers on platforms like TwitchandYouTubeseem to be popular targets.
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Many ofIShowSpeed’s over 10 million fanstuned in for a live stream titled “wtf” on Monday. However, viewers were surprised to see the YouTuber handcuffed and surrounded by three Cincinnati police officers instead of his usual antics. The cameraman approaches the group to tell IShowSpeed that he’d been swatted, but a fourth officer orders him to back up, which the cameraman does. Viewers can hear IShowSpeed say to the officers, “I didn’t know, bro. Oh my God, bro. I swear I didn’t do anything.”
Another officer then comes forward and escorts the cameraman further away from the scene. The officer then appears to physically grab the phone out of the cameraman’s hands before dropping it on a nearby table with an audible bang. Viewers can then hear a muffled conversation between IShowSpeed and the responding officers. While the words are difficult to understand, viewers can catch parts of the conversation, including the word “swatted” and one of the officers saying, “I believe you.” This continues for less than a minute before the officers learn about the live broadcast and force them to shut it down.
This isn’t the first time thatthe controversial YouTube and Twitch streamerhas had an encounter with his local emergency services. To celebrate the 4th of July, IShowSpeed made the unwise decision to set off a Pikachu firework on his bed. The room soon filled with smoke and sparks before the pyrotechnics eventually sputtered out on his floor. This earned IShowSpeed a visit from the fire department, and his viewers could watch live as they inspected the room for damage. However, yesterday’s encounter placed the streamer in a very different sort of danger.
IShowSpeed also isn’t the onlystreamer who recently fell victim to an apparent swatting. PixelKitten and HeyItsMeSalty were swatted in June, while Canadian Twitch streamer Keffals woke up on August 5th to find a police officer pointing a rifle at her while she was in bed. Meanwhile, Twitch star Adin Ross fell victim to the dangerous prank while streaming live on August 7th.
