Ned Luke, the voice actor behind the character Michael in Grand Theft Auto V, announced on social media that the individual responsible for “swatting” him during a livestream in 2023 has been convicted. The actor shared the news on Saturday, revealing that the convicted individual is awaiting sentencing for their actions, which involved sending law enforcement to his home under false pretenses.
In a post on Instagram, Luke included a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice‘s Victim Notification System, which provided updates on the case. He captioned the post with a strong message: “F— around and find out,” further indicating that additional names related to the case have been discovered. The letter, dated December 10, 2023, explicitly identified Luke as a victim in a crime being investigated by federal authorities.
The individual convicted of swatting Luke will be sentenced on January 27, 2024, in Washington D.C.. While Luke chose to redact the convicted person’s name from the document, the conviction marks a significant development in a case that has garnered attention for the dangers associated with swatting.
The incident occurred on Thanksgiving Day 2023 while Luke was streaming a session of GTA Online, the multiplayer component of the game. The livestream was abruptly interrupted when Luke received a phone call. He informed his viewers that he had to end the stream because law enforcement was present at his residence. “I’ve gotta go, these a——- have swatted my house,” he said just before disconnecting.
Following the alarming event, Luke confirmed his safety, but the incident highlighted the serious risks associated with swatting. This dangerous prank involves a person falsely reporting a crime to emergency services, aiming to dispatch a large police presence to the victim’s location. The term “swatting” originates from the potential for a SWAT team to arrive unexpectedly, often catching the targeted individual off guard, particularly when they are engaged in live streaming.
The conviction of the individual responsible for swatting Luke not only brings a degree of closure to the actor but also serves as a reminder of the broader implications of such pranks in the digital age. As online streaming continues to grow in popularity, the potential for dangerous situations increases, prompting discussions about safety measures and the need for accountability among those who perpetrate such acts.
Luke’s experience underscores the importance of addressing the issue of swatting and its impact on the lives of those targeted, as well as the need for effective legal responses to deter such behavior in the future.
