Game landed himself in hot water earlier this week when the Los Angeles Sherriff’s Department launched an official investigation on the rapper after he tweeted the number of their Compton station, causing a phone jam and delaying emergency services. Now, the Compton native is apologizing about the phone fiasco, calling it a prank gone wrong.
In an interview with CNN on Aug. 17, Game explained that while at photo shoot in L.A. on Aug. 12, he sent a tweet advertising that he was looking for interns. Later in the day, however, a friend of Game’s, presumably a man named Demetrius @Wackstar, began tweeting random numbers from his phone as a joke, causing the confusion.
“One of my boys picked up my phone and started tweeting random numbers,” he explained. “The tweet about the internship was earlier in that day. It got lost in the media. … He never sent out a tweet that said ‘these numbers are for an internship.’ He just tweeted a bunch of numbers jokingly.”
Game maintained that his tweets about an internship had nothing to do with his friend’s prank tweets and added that he’d already had interns show up at the photo shoot before the prank occurred.
Game, although not seeming to fully understand how the tweet caused a delay in emergency services, then expressed his apologies over the situation.
“I never want to be the source of anything wrong happening to anybody, or anyone not being able to get through to help lines at the police station,” said Game. “But it’s a 10-digit toll-free number, and when people are in trouble, they call 911.”
“I don’t ever want to see anybody hurt. I got kids at home, I got a woman at home. I’m not that guy. My sincerest apologies to the sheriff’s department and like I said, it was a joke gone wrong,” he added.
However, according to a sherriff’s department spokesperson, Many residents dial a station directly with the 10-digit number for urgent calls, even though the 911 emergency is at their disposal.
Regarding the possibility of facing criminal charges, the rapper explained that he would face whatever legal consequences that may come his way.
“If my apologies aren’t enough … if anybody wants to take it further than that, then I have to do what I have to do. I never intended for anyone to take it the wrong way or for it to go this far,” said Game.
However, following Game’s public apology on CNN, the news site reported that the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department will not seek charges against the rapper.
“His willingness to help share with the media and the community that the safety of the public is what is most important, is a great message,” said the department in an issued statement. “Based upon our investigation, as well as consultation with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the LASD considers the criminal investigation into this matter closed. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will not be seeking criminal charges.”
According to Sheriff’s Department Capt. Mike Parker, authorities had considered charging Game with at least three misdemeanor charges. Parker is now calling the incident a “societal” lesson.
Hopefully, Game as well as many other people learned that pranks involving police officials and emergency services are never worth the tragedy and confusion that they can cause. –nicholas robinson
