A group of Twitch streaming gamers in a Sherman Oaks “content house” who are affiliated with an esports entity known as FaZe Clan were swatted during a livestream after a 911 caller falsely reported a double murder at the rental home.
Los Angeles police swarmed the streamers’ residence about 2:30 p.m. Thursday 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 streamers cooperated and were handcuffed and patted down at gunpoint as they exited.
After the home was searched, the streamers 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 , which they call a “subathon,” with a plan to stream live 24/7 for 30 days in an effort to draw paid Twitch subscriptions for the various streamers living in the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom house, which remains listed for rent at $28,500 a month despite being occupied by the FaZe Clan group.
In the evenings, there is a security guard stationed at the suburban house.
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.”
Twitch streamers living in the Sherman Oaks house and participating in the subathon are known by their Twitch handles and include Adapt, Lacy, stableronaldo, plaqueboymax, jasontheween and Silky.
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As seen on Twitch.tv, the FaZe Clan members have been streaming themselves sleeping, eating, getting group haircuts, working out at the gym, shooting baskets on their backyard court, pranking each other and participating in challenges such as running on treadmills next to the home’s swimming pool until they fall into the water. A carnival dunk tank can be seen in some of the streams.
On Friday, some of the FaZe streamers headed down to San Diego for the Twitchcon convention, where they streamed themselves meeting and taking pictures with fans, and signing autographs.
Southern California News Group staff contributed to this report.