An Arizona resident who plays Rust has filed a lawsuit for $176 million after a swatting incident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He alleges that unknown actors first accused him of cheating, then obtained his personal info and began extorting him—ultimately threatening to call in an emergency to send police to his home. The plaintiff says he even warned local law enforcement ahead of time about the possibility of a false report.
Under 48 hrs later, deputies arrived after a bogus shooting tip. According to the complaint, officers encountered the man while he had a legally owned pistol and opened fire; the result, he says, is permanent chest-down paralysis. Now the plaintiff is seeking $176 million, claiming the tragedy might have been avoided since PD had been tipped off in advance.