'Swatting' call leads to death of Tennessee man targeted for his Twitter handle

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.wreg.com/news/swatting-call-leads-to-death-of-tennessee-man-targeted-for-his-twitter-handle/

The family eventually learned, earlier that day an anonymous caller demanded Mark hand over his Twitter handle worth thousands of dollars. Mark refused. Hours later, the unthinkable happened.

“His neighbor called and said there’s police everywhere and they think a man has killed a woman and he’s on your property. You need to take cover,” Greg recalled.

“He went out of the house with a gun because he heard someone was on his property and he sees all these cops around him,” explained Fitch. “They ask if he’s Mark Herring and [say] put your hands up. He tosses the gun away to show he’s not a threat than [puts his] hands up.”

A full response from authorities faced the innocent grandfather who died minutes later.

The writing isn't great ("A full response from authorities"??), because it's a TV report, but the guy died of a heart attack.

[Archae]

1. Source?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. added

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Granted, It's A Bad Story

But, if one got a call that SWAT team was on one's property, and one was warned to take cover, why would one go out with a gun?
Too many wild west movies?
Watched Death Wish too many times?
I'm sorry the stress killed him, but he could have kept his butt in the house.

[LisaL]

4. Considering he died from heart attack, it's neither here nor there.

He could have died from stress even if he stayed in his house, considering police surrounded it because of a swatting call.
Presumably police would have ordered him to come out regardless.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. I Suppose

But, having guns pointed at you while cops are yelling at you is awfully stressful.
Happened to me.
While we were engaged, my wife-to-be was living in an addition to a farmhouse in the country.
There had been stalking incidents of some creep following young girls from a popular skating rink, including prowling & peeping. One girl was slashed in her own yard.
I left her place around 11 one night and as I'm pulling out of the long drive, I failed to turn my headlights on. 2 big mercury vapor lights were so bright, I didn't need them.
I turn on the lights about 80% down the drive, and suddenly cherries galore from 3 county cars. I stop, spotlights hit, and I hear "Show us your hands.". This is when I noticed 2 shotguns & a handgun pointed at me.
Apparently, someone called about a prowler around there and cops were on edge because this case was big news.
Owners come out onto front porch to tell the cops that I belonged there.
Crisis resolved. Cops did apologize, but admitted the situation had them very worried.
Having those guns pointed at me had me freaked out. I was only 22!
I barely slept that night & I had done nothing wrong.
Like I said, this is a sad story, and quite an overreaction by the cops based on one phone call. (Should it be this easy to scam the police?)
I still don't understand going out to a suspected violent crime scene with a gun. Staying inside with the gun in case said violent offender tries to break in? On, I guess. But, going out there to confront a violent situation? Doesn't seem wise, heart condition or not.