A Rust player who was left paralyzed from the waist down following a police raid triggered by a false emergency call is now suing the department for $176 million. The lawsuit follows a swatting incident in Tucson where law enforcement responded to a hoax report regarding an active shooter.

Quick Facts

  • Plaintiff: Axeel Melendez, a 23-year-old Tucson resident and Rust player.
  • Lawsuit Amount: Seeking $176 million in damages for medical expenses and wage losses.
  • Incident Date: April 2026.
  • Cause of Injuries: Shot in the leg and spine by two officers after a false active shooter report.

How the Swatting and Raid Unfolded

Two days before the shooting, Melendez was hacked by another player of the survival game Rust. The attacker accessed personal details on his computer and demanded money to prevent them from being released publicly. When Melendez refused to pay, the perpetrator threatened to swat him.

Concerned for his safety, Melendez contacted 911 to report the threats and warn dispatchers that his address could be targeted with a false emergency call. Despite alerting the department that callers might claim he had a bomb or attempt to get his family deported, he was told a hoax caller could not simply send the SWAT team.

An officer visited Melendez's home to offer reassurance and state that deputies were aware of potential fake emergency calls for his address. Two days later, officers responded to a report that Melendez's father had shot his sister and stormed the house.

The Police Response and Aftermath

Police video released to the public shows officers shouting from outside before using a shovel to smash Melendez's bedroom window. Melendez, who was wearing noise-cancelling headphones while playing games, realized someone was entering only when the window broke. He ran to wake his mother and grabbed the family's legally-owned gun.

Seeing the end of Melendez's shotgun pointed in their direction from behind a door, the officers opened fire. Melendez was struck in the leg and spine and is expected to remain paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Local police have declined to comment further on the lawsuit.