A police officer in Wichita fatally shot a man while responding to an emergency call that authorities now say was a tragic and senseless prank.
The 28-year-old man, whom officials did not immediately identify, was killed around 6:20 p.m. Thursday after police responded to a report that there had been a shooting and hostages taken at the house, Deputy Wichita Police Chief Troy Livingston said at a Friday news conference.
"Due to the actions of a prankster, we have an innocent victim," Livingston said, calling it a case of "swatting."
Swatting, which has a long history in the online gaming world, refers to the practice of making an emergency call about a fake situation often involving a killing or hostages, in the hopes of sending police to the address of an adversary or random person.