Given the current state of policing in the US swatting someone has a non-zero chance of getting someone severally beaten, tazered, tear gassed, or just shot. I don't know of any deaths, but there have been some really close calls reported in the press and and injury plus property damage. I don't think that really qualifies as a good prank, more of a harassment/endangerment tactic.
Thanks for the map! I should clarify that I was unaware of deaths specifically attributable to a deliberate swatting incident, the death rate in SWAT raids & no-knock raids is ridiculous. It may be much lower than the death rate from "accidental" shootings of even as specific a group as say young black men who turn out to have no criminal record, are unarmed, and aren't engaged in any criminal activity at the time of the incident, but swatting is more outrageous-seeming to most of the majority who have less worry about being shot by the police. I suspect that the fact that it's a deliberate act of endangerment also increases the perceived significance of the risk - malice is more threatening than incompetence even when it's rare and even if it's less dangerous.
Well, it's effective, but it's certainly not good. It wastes police resources, can result in your door being kicked down (they don't compensate for repairs), your dogs could be shot, you could be tazed or shot, etc.
oh wow, so cops can go in your house, kicking door and shit, and then even if they did it for no good reason, the bill is on you ? The US are such a wonderful country.
As far as pranks go thats actually pretty good. Better than 4chan's pizzas.