1st Print Comics co-owner David Inguagiato was streaming on YouTube with Alterna Comics publisher Peter Simeti when police arrived at his house. Inguagiato detailed to us what he heard and witnessed during the live stream.
“So we were just talking on the live stream when Peter heard banging. He excused himself and got up to answer the door. From what I heard it sounded like two police officers entering the apartment. They asked where his girlfriend was and to show his hands. Peter was clearly shocked by this. The police asked who he was and he responded. After a little bit of that the officers figured out that the call was bogus.”
Inguagiato continued:
“Peter had no idea what was going on. Neither did I. I was pretty confused. The cops said that they had got an anonymous call that Peter has stabbed his girlfriend and was suicidal. They said that Peter was probably being Swatted. They asked if he had anyone that he thought would do this. He told them that he runs Alterna comics publishing and has a lot of people that don’t like him.”
David did tell us that he wasn’t able to see the actual encounter with the police but he heard everything, “I couldn’t see any of it. But I heard the whole thing. So did everyone that watched the live stream I’m guessing.”
Simeti recounted the encounter on his own Twitter feed where he described that police “had two guns pointed at [him].”
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 also indicated that police told him an anonymous caller posed as him and claimed that he had stabbed his girlfriend and that he was suicidal.
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
Alterna Comics released an official statement about the encounter on Twitter noting that “police visited the home of publisher Peter Simeti under false pretenses of a violent domestic call.”
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