Blueface Arrested After Latest Swatting Incident in Santa Clarita
Blueface and law enforcement have a bit of a history when it comes to hoax 911 calls. The rapper has had several run-ins over swatting calls recently, but the latest one landed him behind bars. The rapper was arrested Monday night in Santa Clarita and booked into Los Angeles County jail on suspicion of delaying a law enforcement investigation, according to a representative for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. Here’s everything we know so far.
Blueface Was Arrested After a Swatting Incident
Blueface was taken into custody by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday night after they responded to a fake emergency call around 7:43 p.m. According to TMZ, a caller told dispatchers that a man was pointing a gun at someone inside a business in Valencia. Police flooded the scene.
When deputies arrived, they detained several people, including Blueface. Investigators quickly secured the area and determined that no armed suspect was present. Things didn’t go completely smoothly, though. The rapper, whose legal name is Johnathan Porter, allegedly refused to comply with deputies’ instructions. The situation escalated, and he was arrested.
He was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor delaying or obstructing deputies in the performance of their duties. According to court records, he is expected to appear before a judge on October 21. Blueface is already dealing with other legal troubles, making the timing of this arrest especially unfortunate.
What is Swatting?
This is far from Blueface’s first experience with swatting. The rapper has been dealing with a series of swatting incidents since July. The most notable took place in August, when deputies responded to a restaurant where the rapper was dining after a 911 call claimed violence was unfolding inside. Blueface was livestreaming at the time, and the entire incident was caught on camera. That encounter ended without arrests, with deputies releasing everyone after determining no crime had occurred.
Swatting is a dangerous form of harassment in which someone places a fake 911 call to send police and first responders to a home or business. Most calls claim a violent or dangerous situation is unfolding, forcing a rapid, armed response. The prank has been a problem for years, and Blueface appears to be one of its latest targets.
Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, and Rihanna have all been victims of swatting in the past. More recently, streamers and influencers have been targeted, including streamer Zavala, whose birthday party was shut down over a swatting call earlier this year.
