The FaZe Clan esports team was swatted during its livestream after a 911 caller falsely reported a double murder.
Los Angeles police swarmed the gamers’ residence Thursday around 2:30 p.m. local time after a man claiming to be 60-years-old said he had killed his mother and brother, but that someone was still breathing in the house, according to TMZ Sports.
Officers demanded everyone in the house come outside with their hands up one by one. The gamers cooperated and were handcuffed and patted down at gunpoint as they exited.
After the home was searched, the gamers got the all-clear and police took a swatting report.
“We got swatted,” one member can be heard saying during the stream before it was muted.
The group said earlier this week it’d had already raised $2 million from the event.
Swatting has become a common prank, often targeting celebrities. Ashton Kutcher, Clint Eastwood, Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus are among those who have been swatted.
However, swatting hoaxes have also led to a number of serious incidents and even deaths. A number of perpetrators have been charged and sentenced to prison. Video game feuds are a common pretext to swatting attacks.
The FBI is tracking and cracking down on these incidents, whether real or threatened, saying it wastes resources and puts lives in unnecessary danger.
FaZe Clan is a group that plays a number of video games competitively, including “Call of Duty,” “Super Smash Bros.,” “FIFA” and “Fortnite.”
