(Cupventi.com) – A famous actor from the game “Grand Theft Auto” had a scary experience during a livestream on Thanksgiving. Ned Luke, who does the voice for Michael De Santa in “GTA 5,” was playing the game on YouTube when he got a warning call. He quickly ended his livestream, saying, “I gotta go. Now these folks have swatted my house, so I gotta go.”
Swatting is a dangerous prank where someone makes a fake emergency call to 911, causing a big and aggressive police response. It’s become more common because people can hide their identity using disguised voices and fake phone numbers or IP addresses. The FBI started keeping track of these incidents and recorded over 200 swatting cases between May and September.
The FBI takes swatting seriously because it puts innocent people at risk. A spokesperson said, “We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to gather and act upon threat information.” Before the FBI started tracking swatting, a former agent estimated that incidents went from 400 in 2011 to over 1,000 in 2019.
After the swatting incident, Luke responded to accusations that the game’s publisher, Rockstar Games, didn’t protect players’ information. He said, “Don’t jump to conclusions. This had nothing to do with Rockstar. These people leaked my info years ago, and they’ve been doing this stuff since. Anyone’s info is available online if you really want to find it.”
Another YouTuber, Darren Watkins Jr., who goes by “IShowSpeed,” was also swatted recently. He left his computer during a livestream, warning viewers about his safety. When he came back, viewers saw armed police officers in his home. Watkins later said, “I just got swatted. That’s messed up. Don’t ever do that again in your life, bro.”
Some swatting incidents have ended tragically. In 2017, a false report led to a police shooting in Kansas, resulting in the death of an innocent man. Watkins emphasized the seriousness, saying, “I could have really died. I had guns to my face. Don’t ever do that again.”