Alterna Comics Owner Peter Simeti Reports Police Raided His Home After Anonymous Individual Filed False Report
Alterna Comics owner Peter Simeti revealed on Twitter that police raided his home after someone called them with a falsified report.
Simeti reported he had “two guns” pointed at him after “someone made a call to the police and gave them my address along with a falsified report.” He would inform his followers that he was “shook up, but everything is OK.”
I just had two guns pointed at me tonight because someone made a call to the police and gave them my address along with a falsified report.
I’m shook up, but everything is OK now.
I’m going to talk to the police tomorrow and see if I can find out more.
— Peter Simeti 💬 (@petersimeti) February 13, 2019
He indicated that police thoroughly addressed the situation and was grateful for their judgement and states it’s “the reason I’m even alive right now.” He notes “Things could have gone much worse.”
I’m grateful that the police were thorough and quickly assessed the situation. It was the scariest thing I’d ever been through, but their judgement in the situation is the reason I’m even alive right now and able to tweet this.
Things could have gone much worse.
— Peter Simeti 💬 (@petersimeti) February 13, 2019
Simeti indicates that police told him that an anonymous caller pretended to be Peter. The caller said that he had “stabbed my girlfriend and that I was suicidal.” They would go on to give the police his name and address.
According to the police, an anonymous caller pretending to be me, called up and said that I had “stabbed my girlfriend and that I was suicidal”.
They gave the cops my name and address.
The sergeant gave me his card and I’ll be giving them a call tomorrow.
— Peter Simeti 💬 (@petersimeti) February 13, 2019
Simeti does indicate that he will cooperate with local law enforcement and he was thankful to everyone for their kind words tonight. He implored his followers to “please remain calm and do no accuse anyone or any group of people as being responsible.”
I’m looking forward to cooperating with local law enforcement on this.
Thank you for all of your kind words tonight… and the only thing I ask is to please remain calm and do not accuse anyone or any group of people as being responsible. Cooler heads will prevail. Thank you. 🙏
— Peter Simeti 💬 (@petersimeti) February 13, 2019
Peter Simeti had previously posted that he was going to be on a YouTube stream with Dave of 1st Print Comics discussing the comic book industry.
Going LIVE in 5 minutes and TALKING SHOP with Dave of 1st Print Comics! https://t.co/bVbcptXAqD via @YouTube
— Peter Simeti 💬 (@petersimeti) February 13, 2019
Alterna Comics released an official statement on Twitter regarding Simeti’s encounter with police.
At approximately 10pm on Feb. 12th during a YouTube stream (now made private), police visited the home of publisher Peter Simeti under false pretenses of a violent domestic call.
We are working with local law enforcement to learn more about the situation and what can be done.
— Alterna Comics (@ALTERNACOMICS) February 13, 2019
We reached out to Peter Simeti for comment and he directed us to his Twitter feed and Alterna Comics’ statement regarding the matter.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B07645RPZY” locale=”US” tag=”boundingintocomics-20″]Sidewinder[/easyazon_link] creator Dennis Chacon indicated he was watching the live stream when the police showed up at Simeti’s house and condemned the individual who made the anonymous call.
Just saw @petersimeti get swatted on a live stream, this is some BS, whoever did this to him needs to pay for it! We need to support peter and buy @ALTERNACOMICS. The scumbags who didthis are desperate and mental, they’ll will do anything to get their fix #buyalterna #TeamComics
— Dennis Chacon (@D_chacon) February 13, 2019
A number of individuals in the comic book community expressed their solidarity with Peter Simeti.
This should be obvious but: disagreements about comics are not worth threatening someone’s life. Whoever did this is disgusting and I hope they are found out. This shit is NOT okay. https://t.co/777FfPg4ST
— DONNY CATES (@Doncates) February 13, 2019
This is absolutely insane. So thankful you and your family are okay!
— Elizabeth Dismang Breitweiser (@bettieb) February 13, 2019
WTF.
OVER FUNNY BOOKS?
Seriously?
Someone could’ve lost their life.@petersimeti my heart is with you brother.
Be safe.
Live, love and Create.
it’s not hard folks. pic.twitter.com/LQQxaSJt4t
— Jack Irons: The Steel Cowboy (@cowboy_steel) February 13, 2019
WTF? Infuriating.
— Billy Tucci (@BillyTucci) February 13, 2019
I’m glad you’re safe. Sorry that you have to deal with this abusive nonsense. Please keep us all informed about how this plays out with the police follow-up.
— Otis Frampton 💬 (@otisframpton) February 13, 2019
I don’t care if the creator or publisher is #comicsgate or not. What happened to @petersimeti tonight is unacceptable! People who do things like SWATTING someone need to be dealt with accordingly. Buy the material you want, but leave the rest of us alone!!!
— Samurai Raccoon- Work Horse Comics (@raccoonronin) February 13, 2019
Woah. So glad everything is ok Peter.
— Stephanie Cannon@ECCC&WonderCon (@SCannonComics) February 13, 2019
Holy crap. This is so messed up. Stand with Peter Simeti! https://t.co/L8kSueUp4m
— Your Favorite Hispanic Author (@jondelarroz) February 13, 2019
@petersimeti , the kindest man in indie comics, was just SWATed. “Two guns pointed at my head…”
These SJWs have decided to try to murder ComicsGate now. Stay safe, everyone.
— Ethan Van Sciver (@EthanVanSciver) February 13, 2019
Simeti was accused of being a white supremacist in January by a Twitter user who also claimed he was going to publish a comicsgate affiliated book.
Simeti made it clear he wasn’t part of “any ‘movements'”
I’ve never been a part of any “movements” in my life. It doesn’t mean folks haven’t clumped me into them though, when they thought it would benefit their own agenda. I do appreciate the massive amounts of CG folks that 100% respect my stance. It’s been nice, honestly.
— Peter Simeti 💬 (@petersimeti) October 11, 2018
Peter Simeti and Alterna Comics were also targeted last August by former Comics Alliance writer Jennifer De Guzman. Guzman revealed she went after Alterna Comics because they were retweeting and quote tweeting customers who purchased their products. The problem with that was that many of those customers happened to be affiliated with Comicsgate. De Guzman claimed those were “bigot dollars.”
At the end of August last year, Simeti and Alterna Comics would come under fire for publishing their social media guidelines which stated the company did “not condone the use of block bot/blind blocking/block chains or any other kind of program or practice that is used to block thousands of people, blindly, en masse.” The social media policy was condemned by a number of comic book creators including Tamra Bonvillain, Taneka Stotts, Matthew Southworth, Richard Pace, Kieran Shiach, and Darryl Ayo.
This type of behavior is absolutely sickening, and it should be condemned.
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