We all know that playing video games especially the violent ones alters the brain in some way. It has been known to cause violent behavior in children and also induces seizures.
An eight-year-old shot a 90-year-old woman in Country Breeze Mobile Home Park on LA 67 near Slaughter, LA. He had been playing a video game called “Grand Theft Auto IV”on the Play Station III. In this video game, the player accrues points by killing others. This eight year old shot the old woman in her head after playing the game continuously for a few hours. She was watching TV in her living room when this young boy shot her on the back of her head.
The elderly woman was his caregiver as reported by the authorities but wbrz.com claimed she was his grandmother. Marie Smothers, the grandmother or caregiver was spot dead.
The boy may not be charged though as the Louisiana law prohibits them from charging the child with a crime because of his age. The law states: “Those who have not reached the age of 10 years are exempt from criminal responsibility. However, nothing in this article shall affect the jurisdiction of juvenile courts as established by the constitution and statutes of this state.”
The game’s maker, Take Two Interactive was quick to react and reject the link between video games and violence. They stated : “Ascribing a connection to entertainment — a theory that has been disproven repeatedly by multiple independent studies — both minimizes this moment and sidesteps the real issues at hand,” the company said in a statement.
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.
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