I got "swatted" this weekend

[tfbncc]

Well, this was a new experience. Let me set the scene. A little over a week ago, one of my boarders came to me with a request. One of their friends (let's call him Dick) needed a place to crash after he was kicked out by an uncle. My boarder vouched for them, so I agreed to let him use the couch on a VERY short term basis until he could find a new job and get back on his feet. So, Dick was here for about a week. Mostly he sat in front of the TV playing video games. I began to question whether he was actually looking for a job or not. My kids and my boarder assured me that he was indeed looking, that he was using his phone to look online. He did finally get a job at a local Little Ceasar's Pizza. Then, some items went missing from my boarders room. Dick had the items and claimed he found them on the couch. Yeah, no. I don't condone or tolerate petty theft in any form and my oldest kid knew this. My oldest told Dick to pack his stuff and get out. He was no longer welcome here. Then my oldest asked our boarder and another friend to escort Dick out of the house politely.

Apparently Dick didn't like this and subsequently called the Sheriff's office and claimed that the two people who had escorted him out of the house had tried to rob him of his money (what money? We all knew he was broke) at gunpoint.

0450 Saturday morning, 7 deputies arrive at my property with no lights or sirens. They even turned off their headlights and rolled up dark. One person was outside having a cigarette and he got taken down (tackled) physically and handcuffed. Then they knock on the door and announce themselves. My dog (90 pounds of German Shepard) goes nuts and starts barking which wakes me up. My oldest kid comes into my room and tells me that the sheriff's department is at the door and wants to talk to me. First order: secure the dog before he gets shot. We put him in our smoking room and closed the door. Second order: Do as you are told and don't make a fuss. As I'm getting dressed, I see flashlights outside my window, deputies were located on all sides of the house looking in windows. After I'm dressed, I go to the front door and open it, walking out hands first showing I'm holding nothing. There are at least 5 deputies around the front door, several with weapons drawn and carried at low ready. A sergeant takes me by the arm and asks that I come talk to him. He tells me that they are looking for two individuals suspected of attempted armed robbery. The guy they tackled at the beginning is one of them, and the other guy comes out quietly and obediently. As I'm talking to the sergeant I'm beginning to understand what happened. Since my oldest kid was the one that actually handled the situation, I called him over and he explained to the sergeant what had transpired throughout the evening and into early morning. The sergeant catches on quickly and calls the deputies that are talking to Dick over in a parking lot about a block away. Suddenly, Dick starts changing his story. End of the story, The sergeant apologizes and all the deputies stand down and eventually leave.

Upon reflection, I am actually quite impressed with the way the sheriff's deputies handled the situation. While they did take down one person, they didn't break down my door, they didn't yell at anyone, no-one had to drop to the ground spread eagled, no-one got shot, and my dog is still alive. It was actually very low key for which I was grateful. The sergeant in charge quickly assessed the situation and released all of us immediately after he found out what happened.

I don't know what happened to Dick after that. I'm going to be looking into my options this week once I stop by the sheriff's office and get a copy of the incident report. In a strange sort of instant Karma, Governor DeSantis had just signed a new law on June 4th strengthening the state's "swatting" laws. Dick is now guilty of a first class misdemeanor punishable by fine and up to one year in jail plus the state gets to charge him for the cost of the police response. LOL

Ray

[Netpackrat]

Glad you are all OK. I'd be wanting to throw out the boarder who vouched for Dick.

[HTRN]

Dick is now guilty of a first class misdemeanor punishable by fine and up to one year in jail plus the state gets to charge him for the cost of the police response.

Dick should be charged with attempted murder via government agency and be serving life.

[randy]

Glad everything turned out well. Sorry you had to go through that.

[Gunnuts]

Dick is now guilty of a first class misdemeanor punishable by fine and up to one year in jail plus the state gets to charge him for the cost of the police response.

Dick should be charged with attempted murder via government agency and be serving life.

+1

[Captain Wheelgun]

Glad everything turned out well. Sorry you had to go through that.

+1 I’d hate to lose one of my favorite readers.

Here’s hoping ‘Dick’ gets everything that’s coming to him, and that you and your family remain safe.

[scipioafricanus]

Thank the PD for a professional response and good judgement.

[tfbncc]

"Thank the PD for a professional response and good judgement."

I plan on writing a nice note to our new sheriff. We'll see how she responds.

[BDK]

Any contact with a local ADA? And a 1 year misdemeanor for SWATIng is BS.

It needs to a felony, if for no other reason so that when someone is killed, the PIS can get felony murder.

[tfbncc]

Oh, there are more penalties if the swatting incident goes sideways. Here is the whole chapter and verse:

817.49 False reports of commission of crimes; penalty.—
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), whoever willfully imparts, conveys, or causes to be imparted or conveyed to a law enforcement officer or employee of a public safety agency false information or reports concerning the alleged commission of any crime under the laws of this state, knowing such information or report to be false, when no such crime has actually been committed, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(2)(a) As used in this section, the term “public safety agency” means a law enforcement agency, professional or volunteer fire department, emergency medical service, ambulance service, or other public entity that dispatches or provides first responder services to respond to crimes, to assist victims of crimes, or to apprehend offenders.
(b) If the willful making of a false report of a crime as set forth in this section results in a response by a federal, state, district, municipal, or other public safety agency and the response results in:
1. Great bodily harm, permanent disfigurement, or permanent disability to any person as a proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of a response, the person making such report commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
2. Death to any person as a proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of a response, the person making such report commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(3) A court shall order any person convicted of violating this section to pay restitution, which shall include full payment for any cost incurred by a responding public safety agency.