Open Carry Swatting

[MIO]

http://[url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/01/gun-control-groups-accused-swatting-open-carry-permit-holders-putting-lives-at/?intcmp=hplnws]http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/01/gu ... cmp=hplnws
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A dirty tactic being used that puts everyone at risk.

[FatherMick]

Could the caller be prosecuted?

[MIO]

Could the caller be prosecuted?

Yes if the number can be tracked. There are many devices to cloak them and general business numbers are used as well where voice recognition must be used which is hard on small departments.
Many swatting cases have ended in prosecution.

[CongoHarry]

Let's pray it doesn't come that.  Could get somebody killed.  At the very least a criminal abuse of the 911 system for political purposes.  In my former state of residence, open carry never garnered so much as a second glance.  911 "swatters" and hoplophobes breathlessly calling about "a man with a gun" were asked, "what's he doing with the gun?", before dispatching an officer to the scene.

[SterlingArcher]

As an example John Crawford was essentially SWAT'd in Walmart purchasing a BB/pellet gun and no chargers have been filled against the caller, even though he admitted he lied to 911.  The police killing him was also ruled justified even though he had no time to react to a completely crazy situation.  Video can be found on YouTube.

The reality is if you open carry you can be killed in the interest of public safety and no one will bat an eye or likely be prosecuted.  Because you are actually in possession of a weapon, unlike people killed while in possession of a toy gun, if someone calls 911 panicky and saying you've been a bad boy the police would rule the responding cop was justified for killing you and as stated above they may not even be able to track the person who called.

Be. Careful.

[GKF]

There will certainly be some, and even though 911 ops are being trained to ask the right questions, there will be those that will lie, so don't take any chances. If swatted, keep your weapon in the holster and hands high. Don't be objectionable with the responding officer(s). Is the price open carriers will have to tolerate until the crazies settle down a bit. 

[Katfish]

IMHO - all the more reasons to CONTINUE to remain CONCEALED!!

(why would we want any potential "bad guys" to have easy visual evidence that we're armed in the first place?)

[EdO]

In total agreement with Catfish ... Continue to carry concealed.  The idea is self defense and surprise is your best ally.  Open carry is a wonderful right, but like most rights there are responsibilites and the requirements for common sense that go along with the right.  I choose to continue to carry concealed while welcoming the opportunity to carry openly if a situation may dictate.  I've spent a lot of time in our neighboring states where open carry has been legal for quite some time and I don't recall ever seeing somebody open carrying.  I'm sure there have been instances, but I never saw them.

[bhoefling]

and THE main reason I don't open carry (yet).  until the laws are adjusted/enforced and swatters are actually prosecuted...