8 Year Old Kills after Playing GTA – Are Video Games to Blame?

An 8 year old boy intentionally shot and killed his 90 year old elderly relative after playing Grand Theft Auto IV. Police are saying they believe the crime was intentional. Media outlets are jumping on the headlines and making it seem as if videogames are to blame. In this commentary, Red Dragon lays out a few other questions that the main-stream media is disregarding.

[Excalibur]

And why was this 8 year old playing an M rated game?

Why did an 8 year old have access to a loaded gun?

If you find out the answer to those questions then you'll know what and WHO is to blame.

[Relientk77]

Well said dude

[cleft5]

Beyond that it's a world of difference between picking up a controller and picking up a gun, aiming it at someone, and then pulling the trigger to kill them.

[Anon1974]

Well said. How is it that the focus is instantly on video games and not how did an 8 year old have ready access to guns and ammunition. Where were the parents? Why was a child consuming media intended for adults?

Aren't these more along the lines of the type of questions we should be asking after study after study has found no conclusive link between videogame violence and real world violence?

[CaptainPunch]

+1 bubbles!

[andrewsqual]

Every article talks about this like the USA is the world. How often does something like this happen outside the USA? How about almost never? Do we need any more proof its just their screwy country?

[diehllane]

Good to see 27 agrees and 0 disagrees on this.
Absolutely the truth.

[paul-p1988]

But the media would never say that, they don't know how to investigate the true issue at the heart of this (gun laws, minor playing an M rated game etc) it's just

ZOMG, GAMES IZ KILLNGI PEPLES!:!?!}

Seriously, the media news outlets need to educate themselves before they try to educate the common people...

[GarrusVakarian]

Parents always ignore the age ratings on videogames. Its your responsibility as a parent to look at the age rating and determine if you think your child is mature/intelligent/responsible enough to play it.

[cleft5]

Regardless of age rating, this killing has nothing to do with games and everything to do with a disturb child that had access to a deadly weapon. No way there wasn't warning signs that either was ignored or overlooked.

[SniperControl]

This story was on here yesterday.

[yarbie1000]

The video is about asking the questions that the media didn't. It isn't just a review of what happened

[ziggurcat]

1. no, video games aren't to blame.

2. parents shouldn't be letting their kids play games that aren't meant for kids.

3. parents shouldn't have loaded weapons in their home.

[Ripsta7th]

3*Parents shouldnt have easy access to loaded weapons in their home

[ziggurcat]

there's no reason to have a loaded weapon in your home.

and 'murica isn't reason enough.

[levian]

In a word? No.

I find it retarded that these kind of questions and accusations are being thrown around in this day and age. The media (games, TV, movies, music) isn't, has never, and will never be the problem.

[cero55]

when i was his age i was playing gta 3 no problem,i think theirs a problem with the kid.

[T2]

Its always been this way . When metallicas fade to black and ozzys suicide solution came out , kids suddenly commited suicide because of them ...
The real questions are where are the parents and what was fundamentally wrong with these kids psychologically

[phinch]

Grand theft auto is definitely to blame here, the game clearly put the gun in an accesable place for an 8 year old, and it also sold itself to an underage kid and let it play it, how dare the game be that EEEVVVIIILLLLL

[Kayant]

NO!!! Games have zero connection to this incident.

1. Why was the kid playing a game rated for mature. Blame = poor parenting and supervision

2. Why was only the 87 yr old gran supervising. Blame = Poor supervising.

3. Why was access to a weapon so easy for a kid of that age. Blame = Poor parenting.

I feel bad for the family but it's wrong to point the finger at games when they have zero to do with this incident. Now the government is going to start talking a lot of BS.

[blackmanone]

Only in America could an 8 year old boy shoot someone and games be considered the cause. It's sad, but this is what you get from all your gun freedom, guys. Expect a lot more of this as states continues to go broke,

[itisallaboutps]

The only one here to blame would be the parents. Poor parenting plus a gun laying around in the house and a kid that is a little off will spell disaster! Don't blame this on games. I used to play GTA when I was that age but I knew better not to do anything like that. Don't hate the game hate the playa and the parents

[Moncole]

The kid could have been watching Barney. He would have still killed someone because the kid had problems.

[Ultraplayerxp]

He shouldn't have been playing GTA and he shouldn't have had access to guns, these things I agree with. What I don't agree with is shifting all the blame from videogames. In this case, it was a little bit of everything: parents, gun, 8 year old kid, and a violent game. It has proximate cause written all over it.

[Grave]

It was totally the gun's fault.

[persona4chie]

how many times do i have to say this.
Somewhat bad parenting and i cannot tell you how many times i walk into a game store and see children (11 generally and younger) walking over to shelves picking up Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto.

This is one of the reasons i'm glad i grew up playing sony and nintendo consoles(mostly nintendo when i was younger) because i played games for my age.

Parents turn a blind eye and dont think M rated games will have an effect on their child but keep in mind.

THEIR MINDS ARE STILL DEVELOPING!!!! Everything they take in the process it differently than more mature minds do.

And this isnt an insult to nintendo (or fans) but thats why i believe parents should mostly let their kinds play nintendo consoles because they strive to make games appropriate for all ages.

This isnt a shot at anyone not even the creators of CoD or GTA just saying kinds should have access to games like that.

[Austin48]

For the last time it's not the games it's the kids parents fault they let him play a m rated game and there was a gun lying there