Mother Killed over Video Games

Turinu · Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:35 pm

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-na ... ife.Slain/

My mom sent me this a few minutes ago. Didn't know whether or not to place this in the Games section since it has to do with Video Games, but I figured since it's a news article it'd go here as well, like most of the others.

It's stuff like this that really irks me. Sure his father was probably being overprotective by not letting his son play the game, but to attempt to kill him (and successfully kill his mother), is it that serious of an act, that you'd actually plot the murder of your parents?

Nowhere Man · Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:44 pm

Here we go again...

Prepare for the "anti-violent video game" crowd to have a field day with this one. The kid obviously has problems other than a gaming addiction, but those will probably be ignored. At least the judge was smart enough to see right through the "this child was twisted by video games" defense.

You've gotta wonder: are violent games making people become more aggressive, or are more aggressive people simply attracted to violent games?

Toxicity · Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:46 pm

If i ever have children, i'm never buying them any kind of video game console. people have been saying for a long time that violent video games promote violence IRL, and i suppose this proves that point. Not in the sense that "oh its okay to kill people left and right in grand theft auto, so i can do it in real life too!' but to kill someone simply because that person denied you a fucking video game?

Mark064 · Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:01 pm

The father was right really if the kid is going to play a game for 18 hours a day. Humans are violent beings, that's the way it's always been. I swear people make it seem like in days before videogames, movies, rap music, etc. that humanity was filled with peace. If a kid is going to shoot his parents over games, the kid had problems in the first place not related to the games. Theoretically the kid could shoot the parent over a teddy bear too. And really, people need to learn to stop keeping guns in their house where kids can easily get too.

Turinu · Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:07 pm

Aye, to be planning the murder of his parents weeks in advance, there's something seriously wrong with the kid and it's not the video game that caused it.

SNT1 · Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:13 pm

Hurr durr another random psycopath killing someone else over absurd things

Also,

If i ever have children, i'm never buying them any kind of video game console.

Potential worst parent ever

ZeonsSilverStar · Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:17 pm

My guess is the boy was crazy and the parents never noticed or assumed it was a phase.

Areku · Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:23 pm

SNT1 wrote:Hurr durr another random psycopath killing someone else over absurd things

This. I mean, it's a sad story and all, but how is it news, especially in the days of internet when this type of thing comes up every few days? This stuff isn't increasing or anything, we just hear about it more often.

Mr. Hanekoma · Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:15 pm

Its not the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard some one killed over, but its close. I hope they let the kid take his 360 to prison, though.

The father was right really if the kid is going to play a game for 18 hours a day.

Agreed. There is definetly such a thing as a video game addiction, and the only real cure is not to play. Don't do WoW or drugs, kids.

DAG101 · Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:01 pm

Gaming addiction isn't the only thing affecting this kid: he didn't just get pissed off and scream at his parents or anything like that; he tried to kill them. Yeah, everyone's gonna yell "VIDEOGAMES! RAP MUSIC! TELEVISION!", but that's clearly not the issue here.
I know plently of people who play violent videogames, and none of 'em have done anything overly violent.

Wedge14 · Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:11 pm

I dunno why the media pulls the video game made him do it scheme. The gun clearly killed his mother. And he was the one who pulled the trigger. He woulda killed his father too, but luckily didn't. How did he get the gun? Well it was locked up with the game. Do you lock toys up with guns?

Anyone who says something like: "Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you." Before murdering a family member, is clearly a deranged individual.

It's really a horrible shame something like this happened, but it's really frustrating when videogames or any other medium are used as a scapegoat.

'Dustin' · Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:20 pm

This is probably the only case that Jack Thompson would have had a good chance of winning if he had his license.

quasadra · Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:47 pm

please, no more Jack Thompson. i have heard too much of him... and i dont even live in US...

ShadowCell · Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:49 pm

Sometimes I think Jack Thompson is as much a Convenient Punching Bag That May Or May Not Deserve Its Fate as video games in situations like this.

Me, I think the horrible thing here is that this kid killed his mother and almost killed his father. That some people might be blaming video games for it is something of a secondary concern, I must say.

J-Lead · Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:33 am

Jesus, Halo 3 isn't even a good game...

Yuusha Tokkyu Might Gaine · Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:08 am

ShadowCell wrote:Sometimes I think Jack Thompson is as much a Convenient Punching Bag That May Or May Not Deserve Its Fate as video games in situations like this.

Me, I think the horrible thing here is that this kid killed his mother and almost killed his father. That some people might be blaming video games for it is something of a secondary concern, I must say.

Exactly, it's not the game's fault the kid was a little crazy.

ShadowCell · Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:38 am

Yuusha Tokkyu Might Gaine wrote:
ShadowCell wrote:Sometimes I think Jack Thompson is as much a Convenient Punching Bag That May Or May Not Deserve Its Fate as video games in situations like this.

Me, I think the horrible thing here is that this kid killed his mother and almost killed his father. That some people might be blaming video games for it is something of a secondary concern, I must say.
Exactly, it's not the game's fault the kid was a little crazy.

That wasn't my point. My point was that what everybody should be disgusted over is that this kid shot his parents; instead, what everyone seems to be bitching about is how video games might get blamed or are getting blamed or something and how it's not video games' fault that the kid shot his parents.

The victims here are not the video game makers or players. The gaming industry will continue to make millions of dollars a year as long as the gamer subculture continues to, um, thrive and lazy, irresponsible parents continue to seek electronic substitutes for real honest-to-God parenting. The victims here are the kid's parents.

So, like I said, what caught me about this story is that somebody was murdered. That a video game or a video game maker or video game players are getting some bad publicity because of it is really a secondary concern compared to the fact that somebody was murdered.

Sulendil Zeta · Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:24 am

ShadowCell wrote:That wasn't my point. My point was that what everybody should be disgusted over is that this kid shot his parents; instead, what everyone seems to be bitching about is how video games might get blamed or are getting blamed or something and how it's not video games' fault that the kid shot his parents.

The victims here are not the video game makers or players. The gaming industry will continue to make millions of dollars a year as long as the gamer subculture continues to, um, thrive and lazy, irresponsible parents continue to seek electronic substitutes for real honest-to-God parenting. The victims here are the kid's parents.

So, like I said, what caught me about this story is that somebody was murdered. That a video game or a video game maker or video game players are getting some bad publicity because of it is really a secondary concern compared to the fact that somebody was murdered.

I see your point here, ShadowCell. Nothing is more saddening than to see a kid kills his/her parents with his bare hands, no matter what the reason is.

Nowhere Man · Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:20 am

ShadowCell wrote:That wasn't my point. My point was that what everybody should be disgusted over is that this kid shot his parents; instead, what everyone seems to be bitching about is how video games might get blamed or are getting blamed or something and how it's not video games' fault that the kid shot his parents.

The victims here are not the video game makers or players. The gaming industry will continue to make millions of dollars a year as long as the gamer subculture continues to, um, thrive and lazy, irresponsible parents continue to seek electronic substitutes for real honest-to-God parenting. The victims here are the kid's parents.

So, like I said, what caught me about this story is that somebody was murdered. That a video game or a video game maker or video game players are getting some bad publicity because of it is really a secondary concern compared to the fact that somebody was murdered.

There's no doubt it's sad that this kid killed his parents; that goes without saying. However, being the selfish human beings that we collectively are, we're looking at how this case might affect our own lives. Depressing stories like the above happen every day. This one's been posted here because the case may have had wider implications for the public.

It's just the same for the man on trial for having an obscene comic. It's regrettable that his life will probably be ruined by the media circus, but none of us would have had any reaction to the story if it didn't have some possible bearing upon our own interests... and we more-than-likely wouldn't be contributing financially to his defense.

You can't help but be saddened by a sheer act of lunacy such as this callous murder, but at the same time none of us probably would have payed it half a mind if it hadn't been over an item in common concern: video games.

It's a strange world we live in.

thanatos · Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:28 pm

The fact that a video game was involved is the only reason this story is even news. Murder happens all the time so it takes something special to make one story stand out from the crowd. The article doesn't say it outright, but by reporting on this murder and not any of the thousands of others that have happened in the US (let alone the whole world), they're implying that videogames are somehow related to what happened.

If he had killed his parents over a car, or a pile of money, or a pool table, then this wouldn't be news.