# Homeless man with mental illness had me swatted on the steps in front of the jail as I waited for my brother to get released.



## Eng JR Lupo RV323 (Sep 27, 2021)

The audio from the 911 call (Err not the 911 call but rather the dispatch radio communications. I edited out the dead air in between. So this is actually 3 separate broadcasts over the course of about 18 minutes condensed down into like 20 seconds)

On 9/24/2021 I was sitting out in front of the Fresno County Jail in Downtown Fresno waiting on my brother to be released. I had been there on those steps since 6:45am waiting. I wanted to be there the moment he got out so that he didn't have to call for a ride or wait. What's better than walking out of jail and immediately seeing your family there for you right? All in all it was an extremely boring day but that would change at around 7:50pm.

A homeless man with mental illness and a cell phone apparently conjured up the image of me waving a gun around in front of the jail in his mind. So he dials up 911 and tells them my description, my location and adds to this- a gun in my hand! Awesome! Have you ever been just chillin in public and been swatted? It gets the blood flowing! So, I'm just chillin on the steps and then a sheriff rolls up and spotlights me. Then he steps out behind his door and aims his firearm at me! Then another 2 sheriffs roll up and get out and they got their guns on me too!

One of them orders me to drop the items in my hands(my vape) and the bag I had over my shoulder. They ordered me to raise my hands, stand up, turn around and get off the steps. I was so confused like what in the hell is going on right now? If I wasn't supposed to be sitting on those steps they didn't need to bring guns into this! Just tell me GTFO the steps yo! I'll do it! Anyway, then another 5 sheriffs roll up. I have 8 sheriffs all aiming their guns at me. Picture this, I'm literally right in front of the jail at a major intersection downtown.

One of them says "GET ON THE GROUND!" another says "DON'T MOVE!" another says "STEP TO THE RIGHT!" and in my mind I just thought oh wow I'm gonna die. To obey one is to disobey the others. How am I supposed to react here? Can y'all figure out who's in charge and let him give the orders? But I just decide to go with the "STEP TO THE RIGHT!" guys instructions. I saw that there was a large electrical box blocking one of their view of me and my stepping to the right would put me in all of their sights.

So I stepped to the right a few steps and then one of them yelled "GET ON THE GROUND!" So I got on the ground, face first on the concrete. "SPREAD YOUR ARMS OUT!" I spread my arms out. "PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK!" I did as they said. Then they dog piled me. Yanked my arms back tight trying to cuff me, my deltoid still feels subluxated. I'm a thicc boy so my wrists don't reach each other behind my back. They kept yelling "STOP RESISTING!" I said "I'm not, I'm just fat I can't put them any more together than this!" They ended up joining 3 pairs of handcuffs together to make it work. They kept yelling "WHERE'S THE GUN!" I was like "I don't have a gun!".

They rolled me over and scraped all the skin off my knuckles on the concrete in the process. They stood me up, frisked me over my clothes but all the way into my crack, that was the deepest pat down I've ever experienced. They searched my bag and asked numerous times where the gun was. I just kept telling them I had no idea what they were on about, I have no gun. Well then this homeless man who had been hounding me for cigarettes all day even though I don't smoke and I told him that many times.. he walks up and one of the sheriffs says to him "Hey man, you can't be making calls like that! Get your stuff and get the hell out of here!"

The homeless man gathers his things from the area he had them stashed somewhat behind where I was sat. He walks off and I ask "That was the guy who called on me?" Sheriff said "We're still investigating" but I learned shortly afterwards that yes, that was the man who called on me. I was pissed off for a moment but then I felt compassion for the man. I don't imagine he made that call to screw with me. I think in his world, he really did see a man with a gun. And I realized.. what an awful world that must be to live in for him. So detached from reality. I imagine in ways being detached from reality has it's perks but damn, all the time?

Anyway, I forgive that man. I considered litigation towards the sheriffs because I think it was a little excessive but I have to put myself in their shoes too. I have to imagine what if I was a man with a gun? They have to approach that in a certain way right? In the quickest moment a person can reach for a weapon and just start popping off. So, they needed to get my hands in cuffs quickly. I'm more angry at the system than anyone else. People with mental illness need more resources. So fuck Reagan for that one.

Anyway, I downloaded the audio from the dispatcher radio communications. Notice the "Suspect proned out line of fire to the north" that was me, and their guns were pointing north at me. I could have totally died with one little misstep. I'm still pretty PTSD over the whole thing. Like.. that could happen again! That or even worse could happen to me again and I have absolutely no way to control that! That's kind of frightening! Lightweight I don't even want to go outside really. That'll pass though.


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## RavenOnTheNethervoid (Sep 27, 2021)

Wow. Glad you made it out of that situation safe. Sorry it happened. Similar things have happened to me, and people i know, but maybe not as dramatic. Your take on the experience is really admirable. Hopefully, no injuries for you, and homeless guy gets the help that's needed. Hopefully, too, those major changes to the system are on their way & getting here soon.


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## Bibs (Sep 27, 2021)

That's pretty brutal man I'm glad you're safe. I hope your brother is doing well too.


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## Matt Derrick (Sep 28, 2021)

Damn dude what a shitty day. Did the police let you stick around afterwards for your brother to get out?


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## Barf (Sep 28, 2021)

I second that. What’d your brother have to say after you got out? He did get out right?


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## croc (Oct 4, 2021)

"I'm not resisting, I'm just fat" LMAO
U never fail to get into some crazy shit, lupo. Glad ur alive to tell the tale


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## WizardBlown (Oct 6, 2021)

How did you get that audio? Shitty shit man I bet many have died over the same situation


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## Androoshka (Dec 22, 2021)

You would think that a cop would have the sense to look to see if someone is holding a gun before they draw one... rather than just go off someone's word. I mean, carry a pair of binoculars and get a visual from a distance if you must.

In any case, glad you made it out relatively unharmed. And props to you for being forgiving. IDK if I could be that nice to someone after being swatted. As a nurse, I've worked with a fair number of mentally-ill people, and they often have delusions concerning violence, religion, authority figures, etc. - so I wouldn't be surprised if he saw a gun. In any case, good on you and glad you are okay.


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