Government resumes prosecution in deadly ‘swatting’ case

By ROXANA HEGEMAN
Associated Press

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas gamer whose online dispute with another player sparked a deadly hoax call will have to face a jury after violating the terms of a diversion deal he made with prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren granted on Monday the government’s motion to resume prosecution of Shane Gaskill of Wichita and set a jury trial for Oct. 5. Gaskill is charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and other counts in connection with a series of events in 2017 that culminated in the fatal police shooting of 28-year-old Andrew Finch at his family’s home in Wichita. The death drew national attention to “swatting,” a form of retaliation in which someone reports a false emergency to get authorities to descend on an address.