College Hill man charged in fatal 'swatting' case

A College Hill man is among three gamers charged in a fatal "swatting" case that resulted in the death of a Kansas man.

Casey Viner is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, according to a U.S. District Court indictment unsealed Wednesday.

On Dec. 28, 2017, Wichita police surrounded the home of Andrew Finch after receiving 911 calls that someone had been fatally shot. According to police, when Finch came out of the home an officer discharged his firearm killing Finch.

The indictment states Finch was not involved in the video game dispute. Instead, the intended target of the "swat" gave a false address, which was targeted by the other men.

The practice of "swatting" involves calling the police and reporting a crime involving a rival. In several instances, the subject of the "swat" has been arrested.

Prosecutors outlined the following claims in the indictment:

On Dec. 28, 2017, Viner and Shane Gaskill had an argument while playing Call of Duty World War II. Responding to threats of being "swatted," Gaskill provided a Wichita address to Viner saying he didn't believe anything would happen.

Prosecutors said that address was false. Gaskill did reside in Kansas, but not at that address.

According to online records, Viner lives College Hill.

Viner contacted Tyler Barriss of California and asked him "swat" Gaskill, prosecutors said.

The indictment said Barriss agreed.

This is what prosecutors said happened next:

Barriss, using software to disguise his telephone number, called Wichita police just after 6 p.m. providing the fake address Gaskill provided.

"I just shot my dad in the head," Barriss said according to the indictment. "‘Cause. He was arguing with my mom and it was getting way out of control.”

He also said he was holding his mother and sister at gunpoint and considering lighting the house on fire before committing suicide.

At approximately 6:28 p.m., Finch stepped out onto his porch and was fatally shot by a Wichita police officer.

No charges were filed against the officer.

After the incident, Gaskill told Barriss he gave them the address of his old house that his family owned and rented out, the indictment said.

After news of Finch's death made the news, Gaskill reached out to Barriss, according to prosecutors.

"Me you and bape...Need to delete everything," Gaskill wrote. "This is a murder case now."

Viner also sent messages to other people about the news, according to the indictment.

"I was involved in someone’s death," he wrote. "I got pissed off at him he got pissed at me... he gave me his address and said pull up and I said I won’t be the one pulling up you’re getting swatted."

"It doesn’t matter, the investigation will literally unveil everything," he said in another message. "I literally said you’re gonna be swatted."

Barriss and Gaskill are also named in the indictment.

Barriss is charged with cyberstalking, threatening to kill another or damage property, interstate threats, wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and laws regarding "false information and hoaxes."

Gaskill is charged with wire fraud and multiple counts of obstruction of justice.

It is unclear if Viner has been arrested.