We Kid You Not Childfree Forums

From the "Children Are a Blessing" files (Subheading: One million and one reasons not to have children)

BBC News link

Teen killed mother in Halo 3 row

A US teenager killed his mother and wounded his father in revenge after they took away his violent computer game, a judge has ruled.

The defence team for Daniel Petric, 17, had argued his addiction to the Halo 3 game, in which players shoot invading aliens, had made him insane.

But the judge rejected this, saying he had planned revenge for weeks.

Petric, of Ohio, was tried as an adult and faces a maximum possible penalty of life in prison without parole.

On the night of the shooting in October 2007, Petric used his father's key to open a lockbox and remove a 9mm handgun and the game, the court heard.
His father Mark, who was shot in the head and survived, testified that his son came into the room and asked: "Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you."

He said he expected a pleasant surprise. Then his head went numb from the gunshot.

The Associated Press news agency reports that Microsoft, which owns the intellectual property for the game, declined to comment beyond a statement saying: "We are aware of the situation and it is a tragic case."

Holy crap! I guess if you raise your kid to embrace violence than you reap what you sow but this is a bit ridiculous!

IMO there was something wrong with him in the first place and the game just triggered it.

CF Scorpio Wrote:IMO there was something wrong with him in the first place and the game just triggered it.

I agree, normal people aren't affected that way by video games. That boy was already insane. If it had been Tom and Jerry cartoons he was addicted to, he would have killed them anyway, he just would've used a bowling ball or something.

Interesting that he took the gun and the game out of the lockbox.

catsnotkids Wrote:Holy crap! I guess if you raise your kid to embrace violence than you reap what you sow but this is a bit ridiculous!

Playing violent video games doesn't make someone "embrace violence." I know tons of people (including myself) who love to play violent video games, and we would NEVER even think of seriously killing someone, let alone our parents.

Games don't create violent people. People create violent people.

Nadleeh Wrote:

catsnotkids Wrote:Holy crap! I guess if you raise your kid to embrace violence than you reap what you sow but this is a bit ridiculous!

Playing violent video games doesn't make someone "embrace violence." I know tons of people (including myself) who love to play violent video games, and we would NEVER even think of seriously killing someone, let alone our parents.

Games don't create violent people. People create violent people.

Yes, but... if you have a violent kid - maybe repeated exposure to ultra-violent video games can distort his reality enough to lower his inhibitions against acting out violence? I don't think you can turn a normal kid violent by exposing him to video games, but if you apply that desensitization to a troubled kid... is this what can happen?