Grand Theft Auto V actor Ned Luke has issued a statement following the swatting incident that took place on Thanksgiving. Over the last decade, live streaming has become a significant part of our culture. Virtually anyone with a device connected to the internet can stream as it has become easy to use your phone, your console, and PC to start showing the world exactly what you’re doing. With that said, many people can build massive communities as a result and celebrities can use it as a way to interact with their fans. Over the last few months, Grand Theft Auto V actor Ned Luke (Michael in the game’s campaign) has been playing through the game on his YouTube channel. While the experience has been largely positive, he has run into some issues.
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On Thanksgiving, the actor was streaming some GTA Online and talking with fans when he got a phone call that ended with him realizing he’d been swatted. Swatting is when someone makes an anonymous phone call to the police and makes up an extreme situation that would require a heavy, armed police force. The actor ended the stream and dealt with the matter off-camera, but now, he has spoken out about the matter. Ned Luke has taken to Twitter to note that he will not be scared off of his platform by the harassment. He also noted that this wasn’t the police this time and was instead, the fire department. Luke also put an end to speculation that this was a result of GTA Online being allegedly unsecure and players were able to get his personal information. Luke denied this and noted that Rockstar Games is not involved with the matter as his info had been discovered and leaked online years prior through other means.
You can view his whole statement below.
“I was hoping this s–t would stay quiet…but…let me address it. 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. And in a way I feel sorry for the individual or group of individuals pulling these pranks.That said, the authorities are on the trail, and have some significant evidence in hand that hopefully will lead to this paste eating clowns’ mom’s basement. I assume the intention is to shut me down, harass me and put me ill at ease.
Guess what?It ain’t f–king working. I’m not afraid. I’m not losing sleep. And I sure as hell am not going to stop doing my thing. That thing right now is my 10th anniversary playthrough. That will absolutely continue to completion, and beyond. I will be doing my http://streamily.com/nedluke signing LIVE on December 7th, and hopefully will welcome many of you into the stream live as I sign pics. Guys like this…I’ve known them all my life. They exist to annoy, irritate and infuriate. IF YOU LET THEM. I don’t let them. While many of you have shown great concern for my family, and we appreciate it, there really is no need.We are fine. We are well prepared for this.
In closing, let me reiterate with total clarity. These occurrences, the pizzas, the taxis, the locksmith, the swattings, the phone calls at all hours of the night, the level of their irrelevance is only eclipsed by the irrelevance of the people phoning this s–t in. You don’t matter. You are nothing more than one of those many pimples on your ass, that you constantly pick at. So enjoy your time. Trust me. It will be coming to an end soon enough.
In the interim, stay in mom’s basement. I’m sure there is much paste left to be eaten. So go to my youtube channel and, I promise, you will continue to find me there. And remember…Subscribing is Winning…Everything else is bulls–t. And one last thing…my private information was NOT attained from my livestream or from GTA Online. It was leaked years ago by someone who did a routine search on the internet and thought it would be cute to put it out there. Rockstar Games is NOT to blame. Trust me, if I believed that were the case, not only would they hear from me, I would have heard from them, and their army of lawyers would handle it. So back off of that s–t. And get ready for six. It’ll be here when the time’s right and it’s gonna be epic.”
