A California man accused of making a hoax emergency call that led to the fatal police shooting of an unarmed Wichita man was charged Friday with involuntary manslaughter.
Tyler Barriss, 25, made his first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court following extradition from California. He was also charged with giving false alarm and interference with a law enforcement officer. Bond was set at $500,000.
Involuntary manslaughter is an unintentional killing resulting from an unlawful act that is a misdemeanor or low-level felony, or from recklessness or criminal negligence.
Prosecutors allege Barriss was in Los Angeles when he called police Dec. 28 with a fake story about a shooting and kidnapping at a home in Wichita.
Police responded to the address, where an officer fatally shot 28-year-old Andrew Finch after Finch opened his door and walked onto his porch. Police said Finch was given commands to keep his hands raised, but he reached toward his waist multiple times before being shot.
The shooting remains under investigation.
