http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/nation...-grandson-boy-was-playing-grand-theft-auto-iv SLAUGHTER, La. - (CNN) -- Investigators believe an 8-year-old boy intentionally shot and killed his 90-year-old grandmother on Thursday evening after playing a violent video game. The woman, Marie Smothers, was pronounced dead at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head in a mobile home park in Slaughter, Louisiana, the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Slaughter is about 20 miles north of Baton Rouge. The boy initially told investigators he accidentally shot his grandmother while playing with a gun, but after further investigation officials determined it was a homicide. The boy won't face charges. Under Louisiana law, a child under 10 is exempt from criminal responsibility. Before the incident Smothers had been watching TV in the living room while the boy played a video game in which players shoot people. "Although a motive for the shooting is unknown at this time investigators have learned that the juvenile suspect was playing a video game on the Play Station III 'Grand Theft Auto IV', a realistic game that has been associated with encouraging violence and awards points to players for killing people, just minutes before the homicide occurred," a release from the sheriff's office stated. Smothers was the boy's caregiver, and the pair shared a bedroom, CNN affiliate WAFB reported. "We have a child who does not know the impact of the consequences of the act he committed," Sclynski Legier, a lawyer, told WAFB. "He truly doesn't understand that." He is now with his parents. Violence in video games There has long been debate about whether virtual violence in video games leads to actual violence, and it's become more heated since 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. Like many young males who went on shooting rampages in the past, the shooter, Adam Lanza, was reportedly obsessed with violent video games. Speaking soon after the shootings at Sandy Hook, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who led his state through grieving after a mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, speculated that there was a connection. "There might well be some direct connection between people who have some mental instability and when they go over the edge -- they transport themselves, they become part of one of those video games," Hickenlooper said on CNN's "State of the Union." "Perhaps that's why all these assault weapons are used." A month after the Sandy Hook shooting, John Riccitiello, president and CEO of the video game maker Electronic Arts, said in a conference call with bank analysts there wasn't a connection, but the industry faces a "perception issue," the BBC reported. Vice President Joe Biden, who is heading an inquiry into the causes of gun violence, has floated the idea of taxing violent games and sending proceeds to help victims and their families, Forbes.com reported. Studies by reputable academic and medical sources have come to a variety of conclusions over the years. The Obama administration called for more research into the connection following the Sandy Hook shooting. Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/nation...was-playing-grand-theft-auto-iv#ixzz2czcW0XXc
They apparently weren't there. Why should they be arrested? The article doesn't spell it out but it sounds like the kid lived with grandma, and it doesn't say whether the parents live in the home as well. Living arrangements like that are actually quite common. Whoever left a firearm unsecured around an 8 year old bears some responsibility. I don't know what Louisiana's laws are on the subject but as a firearm owner and a parent I regard it as a mandatory duty to secure all firearms against unwanted access, especially from children. If it was the parents' firearm then I can see them bearing some liability, otherwise... probably not. I do wonder why someone would allow a small child like this to play GTA, though. I actually used to work as a CPS investigator, you wouldn't believe some of the stupid crap some parents do.
Felix is showing signs of very strong butthurt somebody must have really dominated his thoughts and controlled his emotions
Does anyone else think its ridiculous that they always try to use video games as a scapegoat? Playing GTA will not make a REASONABLE, SANE person motivated to kill someone. It might trigger some sort of inner killing machine in MENTALLY UNSTABLE people. But then that's the whole point isn't it? Road rage is the same thing. Traffic sucks, but traffic isn't the reason someone would lose it and attempt to kill someone over it.
I'd generally agree, however, with an 8 year old it's a bit different. They are not completely able to differentiate between reality and fantasy, and they are unable to fully gamer out and understand the consequences of their action. They are really just starting to do that at that age.
Parent/Legal guardian, whoever is responsible for buying/allowing him to play such games. It really bothers me when these things happen and then you get all these soccer moms and politicians trying to sensor or ban video games because of irresponsible parents.
An eight year old shouldn't be playing these types of games anyway. Either way that's my pet peeve. If there is video games involved it always get blamed for some weird reason.
Completely agree. When my kid was 8 he was not allowed to play games like this. He's almost 10 and he still isn't. He also knows the 4 rules of firearms safety and knows that firearms are not toys. Because he is familiar with them he has no curiosity about them or desire to play with them. Some parents out there just don't give a crap. They let their kids do whatever they want and leave guns laying around the house. And then they are surprised when something like this happens.
