Voice Actor of Grand Theft Auto 5 Targeted in Sixth Swatting Incident
Voice actor of Grand Theft Auto 5 swatted for the sixth time, facing a dangerous new level of harassment as the culprits escalate by involving the fire department
While livestreaming on Thanksgiving day, Ned Luke, the voice behind Grand Theft Auto 5's Michael De Santa, was swatted. This marks the sixth time the actor has been targeted in this manner.
On Friday, the voice actor reassured fans, tweeting, "Everyone is fine, thanks for your concern. This is the SIXTH time we have been swatted, but points for originality, this time they sent the fire department. There is nothing cute or clever or funny about this."
Luke is known for his frequent livestreams of gameplay, and was in the middle of a special GTA livestream when he received a call that seemed to be a warning. He quickly stood up from his chair, telling his viewers "I gotta go," before ending the stream. After experiencing six disturbing disruptions to his life, and potentially his safety, the voice actor has confirmed that law enforcement is now involved in the investigation of the culprit.
In a follow-up tweet, Luke expressed some pity for the individual or group responsible for the pranks. He also mentioned that the authorities have some strong evidence that they hope will lead to the person behind the acts.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of GTA 5, Luke has been live streaming his gameplay. He believes that the motive behind the harassment is to shut him down and make him feel uncomfortable, but he is unfazed. He expressed on Twitter that he is not afraid, not losing sleep, and will continue with his 10th anniversary playthrough and beyond.
Luke finished his comments by defending GTA publisher Rockstar Games, as some fans had implied that Rockstar's decision not to mask player IP addresses may have been the reason for the incident.
"My personal information was NOT obtained from my livestream or from GTA Online," Luke clarified. "It was leaked years ago by someone who conducted a routine internet search and thought it would be funny to put it out there. Rockstar Games is NOT at fault."
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I am deeply disturbed and angered by the repeated swatting incidents targeting Ned Luke, the voice actor behind Grand Theft Auto 5's Michael De Santa. This is a dangerous and malicious form of harassment that has no place in our society.
It is clear that the culprits behind these swatting incidents are trying to intimidate and silence Luke, but they will not succeed. Luke has shown incredible resilience and determination in the face of this harassment, and he has my full support. I hope that law enforcement is able to apprehend the individuals responsible and bring them to justice. In the meantime, I stand with Luke and all those who have been affected by swatting.
