Razer headset saves gamer from stray bullet

A Razer headset next to a window with a bullet hole
(Image credit: Enough_Dance_956)

A Razer Kraken gaming headset appears to have saved its wearer’s life by deflecting a stray bullet that came through their window, in what looks to be a remarkable piece of good fortune. 

Sharing their story on Reddit, user Enough_Dance_956 said they were sitting indoors at their home in California, talking to their friends early in the morning, when a stray bullet flew through their window and ricocheted off the headset they were wearing.

They shared several photos showing their window – with what looks to be a bullet hole through it – the damaged headset, and the bullet itself.

“The bullet went through my window into my headset and bounced off the wall, and landed in my bed,” the Redditor said.

“If it wasn’t for the headphones made with good quality, I would’ve been a dead kid at the age of 18. I couldn’t even imagine all the pain my family and friends would’ve been through,” they added.

“It came from a block away. It was a stray bullet. Someone with bad aim almost killed me while I was just talking to my friends.”

It’s not known why the bullet was fired, but as the Redditor points out, if they hadn't been wearing the headset, or had been sitting just an inch or two further forwards in their seat, they may very well not have been around to share the story. 

The alleged incident occurred in the city of Torrance. Police reportedly removed the bullet after being called to the house.

Many commenters on Reddit called out the story as a hoax, prompting Enough_Dance_956 to upload more photos. They show a dent in the wall where the bullet, said to be a 9mm round, supposedly bounced off, as well as the bullet itself.

Without seeing a filed police report, we can’t be entirely sure the incident occurred as the Redditor described. But the pictures make a compelling case that a bullet was indeed fired through their window.

As for whether the specific design of the Razer Kraken was responsible for saving this person’s life, we wouldn’t bet on it. It’s likely that any sturdy headset with a strong metal frame and headband would have provided similar protection.

TechRadar can confirm that Razer reached out to the Redditor to check they were all right, and offered them a replacement Kraken headset alongside other goodies.

We contacted the Torrance Police Department, which told us it was checking if it had reports of the incident – we'll let you know if we receive any update.

Callum Bains
Gaming News Writer

Callum is TechRadar Gaming’s News Writer. You’ll find him whipping up stories about all the latest happenings in the gaming world, as well as penning the odd feature and review. Before coming to TechRadar, he wrote freelance for various sites, including Clash, The Telegraph, and Gamesindustry.biz, and worked as a Staff Writer at Wargamer. Strategy games and RPGs are his bread and butter, but he’ll eat anything that spins a captivating narrative. He also loves tabletop games, and will happily chew your ear off about TTRPGs and board games.