This says more about the cops than it does about the kid. Maybe confirm what you're getting into before you go? And not just 100% trust random info you get?
US cops, being what they are, jesus... Swatting is potentially calling in a hit on random people. And I don't mean to be hyperbolic, but yeah, sending cops into a situation described as dangerous is fraught. Read the article, this guy set up some horrific scenarios.
Look at that one dude that got gunned down by multiple cops for answering his door with a gun in hand. If something seems off or unexpected, and that's extraordinarily rare, I do that. No one will see it, but my hand in on it when the door opens.
I'm in the US, Why is swatting even able to be a thing? Like you call a number, say a bunch of lies into the phone and people with guns and tanks show up and shoot everyone in the house an hour later? No one double checks the info given? Like wtf, why is that a normal response time and time again when I'm sure most of the events these teams are called in for, its for swatting. How many crazy dangerous hostage situations or terrorist dens you think these guys are busting regularly vs killing innocent people from random internet strangers lies?
I think, and I'm being honest here, the cops fucking love it. They get to get their tacticool rocks off and go in blasting with no actual danger to face. They have qualified immunity so the ones that actually shoot people, or dogs, face no real trouble.
Put yourself in their shoes. You're a sad, lonely bully with a kink for cosplaying real soldiers and you get the chance to pull out your biggest pewpew and kick in doors. No way are you turning that down because of checks notes basic critical thinking.
I once saw a defcon talk in Vegas showing how easy it was to connect to systems that controlled things like this. I would not be surprised if much of it is just poor security.
I'm going into work when people are beginning to leave bars.
I've seen some drivers that would be stopped for a sobriety test.
I've thought of calling the police to report them. Drunk driving kills, surely.
And I haven't. Why? Because all it takes is one pig feeling like his ego was checked and he needs to use violence as a response. Cops kill, surely.
It's one of those damned if you don't, damned if you do situations.
Allowing them to continue or calling the authorities could both result in unwarranted death.
The fact that allowing a drunk to drive and simply calling the cops results in a moral quandary about trying to reduce damage to the public as much as possible is a very bad look on the cops.
So what does that say about me? Honestly, I'm too exhausted to explore that or the ramifications thereof.
Man that's a tough one. I think you're doing the right thing by not calling and I'm going to share an anecdote to explain why.
My coworker was walking home late one night and encountered a homeless man. It was negative degrees outside. He wrestled with the idea of what to do because he didn't want the cops to bother or hurt this guy. He wasn't belligerent or bothering anyone, but my friend was worried about him because it was freezing outside. My friend decided to call 911. He wanted an ambulance to come. Instead the cops came and took the man away in handcuffs. When he was telling me the story at work the next day, he cried. He's a big bearded stereotypical "tough guy" and I'd never personally seen him show emotion like that. He felt so bad, and he regretted calling.
One of those drunks you see might hurt someone, but that's on them for choosing to drive or the bartender for not calling the cops or cutting them off. Where I'm from, part of bartender certification is getting trained on how to take customers keys and when to call a cab and when to call the cops.
You’d think by now Americans would be smart enough to see that their love for heavy handed retribution yields them worse results at lowering the crime rate compared to other western countries.
