Los Angeles suspect in 911 hoax faces felony in Kansas death | News & Observer

A 25-year-old Los Angeles man suspected of making a hoax emergency call that led to the fatal police shooting of a Kansas man faces a charge of making a false alarm, according to a warrant filed Wednesday in California.

The Los Angeles County district attorney filed the fugitive-from-justice warrant against Tyler Barriss, saying he was charged with the felony Dec. 29 in Kansas.

Police have said Andrew Finch, 28, was shot after a prankster called 911 last week with a fake story about a shooting and kidnapping at Finch's Wichita home.

Barriss faced an extradition hearing later Wednesday in Los Angeles and a public defender has been appointed to represent him.

Conviction of the charge in Kansas carries a maximum sentence of up to 34 months in prison, said Elizabeth Cateforis, clinical associate professor at the University of Kansas' law school.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett says Kansas is pursuing extradition of Barriss, a process that can take up to 90 days.

In Kansas, the head of the Wichita police force said the department has no policy on such "swatting" calls.

The Wichita Eagle reported that Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay vowed Tuesday for a "thorough review" of Finch's death.

The goal of such hoax calls is to get a SWAT team to respond, although Ramsey said none of the officers at the scene were SWAT team members.

Ramsey said the officers who responded reported that Finch's hands went up and down around his waistband before he was shot.

Ramsay called Finch's death a "terrible tragedy."