Boy, 8, Kills Gran After Playing GTA IV

[taseen11]

Boy, 8, Kills Gran After Playing Video Game

The boy grabbed a gun and shot his 90-year-old grandmother in the head while she watched TV, after playing the video game.

An eight-year-old boy intentionally gunned down his grandmother minutes after playing the violent video game Grand Theft Auto IV, US authorities said.

The town of Slaughter, Louisiana, is in shock after the child was able to access the family's gun and shoot the 90-year-old in the head while she was watching television.

The woman, who was helping to look after the boy, was pronounced dead at the scene at the Country Breeze Mobile Home Park.

Sheriff's deputies have not revealed a motive but they pointed out the child was playing the video game before the fatal shooting.

The game, which is rated "M" for mature audiences and is recommended for ages 17 and older, has been associated with encouraging violence and awards points to players for killing people.

The child told investigators that he accidentally shot the woman while playing with a firearm, WAFB-TV reported.

But evidence has led investigators to believe the child intentionally shot her in the back of the head as she watched TV, it added.

Neighbour Johnnie Scott told Fox8live.com: "Where did she have the gun?

"Where did he see the gun, was it in his eyesight? That's the thought that goes through my head."

Child psychologist Kristopher Kaliebe said access to a violent video game such as Grand Theft Auto IV may encourage aggressive behaviour.

He said: "From a behaviour therapy perspective, I would say that's practicing.

"So if you have a video game where someone shoots at a target, that's sort of practicing shooting at a target.

"When you have a video game that is shooting at a human being, that is practicing shooting at a human being."

The child is being looked after by his parents. The authorities are treating the shooting as a "homicide".

The boy cannot be charged with a crime because of his age, the sheriff's office said.

Louisiana law states: "Those who have not reached the age of 10 years are exempt from criminal responsibility."


Source: http://news.sky.com/story/1132826/boy-8-kills-gran-after-playing-video-game

[~Legend~]

Multiple issues brought up here: should 8 years old be playing this game; should the game even feature such "violent content"; why did this boy have access to a firearm?

It is a very sad happening for the family.

It is also a pity that this kind of explicit controversy always surrounds games like GTA. Casts a shadow over the... well... "game factor". In this case, an innocent child did something that he probably cannot come to terms with. But, there have been more serious incidents with young adults/teenagers doing certain things apparently due to them being spurred on by what GTA lets you do.

It's like mature movies, videos, music and all other things in the media. Regulators can do so much to keep them out of the wrong hands, but no one can check who the buyer's really going to give the game to. Is it the publishers fault? There are far worse things than GTA that can be found on the Internet and it is the buyer who actively chooses to purchase the game, accept its conditions, and pass it on if they really feel it is suitable.

Overhanging all of this should be the fact that a little boy picked up and fired a gun, just as easily as he took up his game controller and pressed a few buttons. The US right to firearms seems to once again be pivotal. A certified game CD on its own is not harmful, but a gun on its own has potential to be.

Something that I also found interesting was this part of the news report "the child was able to access the family's gun". The family's gun. Almost like how in the UK we talk about the "family's cat" or the "family's car".

[clancker]

This is very shock that this happens how ever the game should not be reachble for 8 years old at all but it's not all the game's fold they should hide the firearm more good so the child would not find it

[AK47]

One word, America.

[Ratko Gavrilovic]

This is what happens when you got a gun in your house.
Bless 'Merica.

[Bundy]

This is why GTA 4 sucks.

[taseen11]

I played GTA when I was 8 :[

[AK47]

This is why GTA 4 sucks.

Hahahahah

[Mikal]

And yet again, guns arnt the problem in the USA.

Yes, it was sarcasm.

[TheRock]

I played GTA when I was 8 :[

Born 95', Father had an PS1 since I was actually 2-3 years old.. Started at age of 5, playing GTA 2 on PS1 hahahaha. Later, next year I was invited to my 'then' best friend to play an awesome game as he was saying.. on PS2 it was in fact GTA 3, but by that age.. I had no clue of how to read or spell it.. Once my parents bought me PS2 back then, Uppon buying PS2 I saw the getaway cover and thought it was GTA 3 lol. Turned out it wasn't though it was a great serries, however.. it didn't take long before I was advised I could chip my PS2 in order to play *grabbed* games.. I remember spending aaa lot of time on GTA 3 when I first bought it back then... endless hours of playing infront of an old Sony 15' forced me to wear glasses, as I had Presbyopia of 5.0 back then.. :3... the next years, I still remember the feelings of the FIRST time I ever played Vice City, San Andreas (Including Liberty City Stories/VC Stories) and IV... I hope I can have that feeling again once I play GTA V for the first time too ..

It's not like any shop will deny the sale of a game, when we have crysis everyone is looking after money and not protecting children from playing games not meant for their age... But a true fact is; All of us, tend to grow fast... As much as I loved to play GTA, a very violent game from the age of 5.. whilst I knew it wasn't meant for my age... eventually we all used to watch porn before the age of 18 too

On topic;
It's very sad to see that an 8-year old boy had access to firearms..

[[WS]Jacob]

The media is very quick to conclude that the video games are the problem, however I have been playing games which can be considered violent for years. But have I shot someone in the head as I've done on GTA, no. If the video games were the problem we would have murders happening everywhere, the real problem is access to weapons.

[Ratko Gavrilovic]

The media is very quick to conclude that the video games are the problem, however I have been playing games which can be considered violent for years. But have I shot someone in the head as I've done on GTA, no. If the video games were the problem we would have murders happening everywhere, the real problem is access to weapons.

Of course it's possible that the kid had some mental issues, I mean, not comprehending that killing your grandma is bad is pretty mental.. But still, he shouldn't have had any access to weaponry.

[brian1996]

It's their own damn fault for buying the game for him in the first place, aswell is it their fault for not hiding their gun properly. Would have never happend if they didn't buy 17/18+ games for a 8 year old boy. They have to deal with it now.

[Dolfagr]

Really awful parenting. Mostly for letting a loaded gun within the range of a child and buying a game which is unsuitable for a 8 year old to understand. Incidents like these make me wonder what this generation has turned into.

[Alfredo_DeLuca]

Once one child jumped from the window because he thought he was pikachu. He was watching Pokemon. After that Pokemon banned in Turkey. Who knows, maybe same thing can be for this kinda games.