In an unusual turnabout for a game where it’s normally the players pestering police, a Grand Theft Auto Online player was saved from a beat-down by an NPC when two Los Santos police officers came to their rescue. While NPCs fighting each other in GTAOnline is nothing new, it’s not every day that the boys in blue come to the rescue of players in Rockstar’s sprawling online crime simulator.
Launched for PC and consoles in October 2013, just weeks after Grand Theft Auto 5’s record-setting release, Grand Theft Auto Online lets players explore the sprawling area of San Andreas as they try and create their own fun in the massive online sandbox. Just like in traditional GTA titles, players of GTA Online can complete missions, plan heists, and buy and run businesses to rise through the ranks of the game’s criminal underworld. For players seeking a truly unique experience in Rockstar’s multiplayer game, there are also numerous roleplaying servers in GTA Online where gamers choose to play the role of random citizens of San Andreas rather than criminal masterminds.
In a new post on the r/gtaonline subreddit, user TacticoolDelta shared a clip of their GTA Online character being unexpectedly saved from an NPC assault when two Los Santos police officers open fire on the unruly AI. The clip begins with TacticoolDelta hurriedly driving into Los Santos International airport before parking at the terminal and exiting the vehicle on their way to a mission waypoint, bumping into an NPC distractedly playing on their cell phone in the process. Irate at being torn away from their texting, the NPC takes a swing at TacticoolDelta before two nearby Los Santos police officers unleash a volley of gunfire into the rogue AI.
Redditors responding to the short clip appeared to be amused by the unusual series of events, with the post receiving several upvotes. One comment questioned the priorities of the two police officers, noting that TacticoolDelta running around with a duffel bag full of ill-gotten gains and a pistol in his hands was apparently fine, yet a punch brought a lethal response. This isn’t the first instance of NPCs targeting players in the multiplayer sandbox title, either, with one player recently sharing their experience of having an NPC deliberately crash into their car in GTA Online.
This amusing encounter caught on camera is a perfect encapsulation of the unpredictable and unscripted world of GTA Online, and highlights how the title’s multiple layers of gameplay systems and NPC simulations can lead to some truly unexpected results. After seeing this violent airport encounter, some users may want to wait for the rumored fast travel feature in GTA Online to arrive before their next trip to Los Santos International.
GTA Online is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
