Former MrBeast employee and Misfits Boxing influencer, Jake the Viking, has claimed that he and his family were swatted after he streamed on Kick.
Jake ‘The Viking’ Franklin was an iconic part of MrBeast’s crew before the star became YouTube’s most-subscribed creator in 2022.
Known for his easygoing personality and viking-esque appearance, Jake the Viking has gone on to create his own content — but now, he’s facing some unexpected dangers.
On April 3, Franklin claimed that he’d been swatted while streaming live on Kick, an alternative broadcasting platform that’s risen as a rival to the likes of Twitch and YouTube.
Kick streamer’s family swatted after police raid his home
In fact, Jake even posted a clip from his stream, showing police clearing his streaming room that was captured during his broadcast.
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However, the swatting didn’t end there. On April 4, Jake claimed that his parents and sister were also being “targeted” by his harassers.
The term ‘swatting’ refers to an act wherein a person will call law enforcement with false claims against another person with the intent of sending a large number of police officers to their home, usually under the pretense that the victim is an immediate threat to others around them.
For now, it’s unclear why Jake was the victim of this sudden swatting — but, unfortunately, he’s not alone. A plethora of content creators have been swatted over the years, with the likes of Kai Cenat, Adin Ross, and even IShowSpeed getting swatted in a rash of similar incidents last year.
These swattings can pose a real danger to victims and leave them with lasting trauma. In an interview, streamer QTCinderella claimed that she suffered from PTSD after she and her partner were swatted, saying she was unable to sleep well at night and needed to be constantly aware of her surroundings.
We’ll keep you updated right here on Dexerto as more news comes forth regarding Jake the Viking’s current situation.