A Wichita man faces additional federal charges in connection with a deadly shooting following a swatting incident last December.
Shane Gaskill was charged this week with two more counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to the FBI. He already was facing charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice and one count of wire fraud.
The charges, authorities say, stem from an online gaming dispute involving Gaskill, 20, and Casey Viner, 18. Viner allegedly contacted a third defendant, 25-year-old Tyler Barriss, and asked him to swat — the act of placing a fake emergency call in order to get a police response at a target’s home — Gaskill.
The indictment says Gaskill gave Barriss the wrong address, which led Barriss to place the fake emergency call that led to the death of Andrew Finch. Finch, who wasn’t involved in the incident, was killed by a Wichita police officer responding to the call.
Viner, from Ohio, also is charged with obstruction of justice and wire fraud.
He and Gaskill are scheduled for trial in September.
Barris, from Los Angeles, is charged in federal court with making a hoax report to emergency services, cyberstalking, wire fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He faces up to life in prison for the fake emergency call,
Barriss also faces trial in Sedgwick County District Court on several charges, including involuntary manslaughter.
Tom Shine is director of news and public affairs at KMUW. Follow him on Twitter @thomaspshine.
