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but will NOT be charged
An 8-year-old boy intentionally killed a 90-year-old woman when he shot her in the head inside a Louisiana mobile home after playing a violent video game, police said.

But the child won’t be charged with a crime.

The boy fatally shot his elderly caregiver, Marie Smothers, after playing “Grand Theft Auto IV” — a video game critics often blame for promoting violence — inside the mobile home at a Slaughter, La., trailer park Thursday evening, police said

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An 8-year-old kid has access to a gun.. Eh?

It's Louisiana. Everyone has access to a gun.

BOY, 8, BREATHED OXYGEN, KILLED ELDERLY WOMAN

COULD THE LINK BETWEEN OXYGEN AND KILLING EVER BE SOLVED?

MORE ON THIS STORY AT 8

Who leaves an eight year old with a 90 year old? How can a 90 year old even be considered a caregiver? I pretty sure one is in diapers and the other grew out of them years ago. I also think we should ban violent video games. They create monsters!

Give him the chair.

Who leaves a gun in reach of a 8 year old?

A lot of idiots. I keep all my guns on top of my refrigerator. Out of reach from 8 year olds.

It just occured to me that it was the care giver who allowed him to play said violent video game. Ended up biting her in the ass.

How ironic.

The child is an idiot. I played video games too when I was 8, and I never thought of killing someone.

who gave the 8 year old a game rated for 18+, its like giving a kid booze then been shocked when he gets drunk and blaming the booze makers for allowing it

I find it funny that every crime committed by a young boy is always in some way connected to some video game. I feel like its so much easier to tell people its the video games fault instead of just outright saying "Hey parent, you failed at your job."



Also why the hell was a 90 year old given an 8 year old to take care of they had to know she was gonna kick the bucket sometime in the near future.

selfishness?

Oh I love how there is always a "violent video game" in the report.


I played GTA SA when I was about 10. It was the first (and only) game I bought myself.

I haven't heard about the booze part though.

Oh my fuck, this title makes me rage so hard.

booze part is an example, but my point is if the game is rated 18+ its done so for a reason if your parents dont mind you playing it thats their choice but you cant blame the game for the violent actions when you exposed your child to it against the age rating set by them(pegi right?)

But It's True!

It is true, but it puts the blame on the game, while it should be blaming a child and it's caregiver.

Maybe he got a little "too excited" after the Game?

thats terrible......i mean, seriously gta 4? That game was shit. Should of played san andreas or something

He did, but the game is not to blame. The game is rated 18+, meaning not suitable for an 8 year old.

I killed someone when I was 8. I didn't play violent video games.

I played Need for Speed a lot when I was 8. Crazily enough I didn't steal the car keys and crash the car.

@Fic; I could understand the ease of accessibility in the time of need. But in that case they should really teach their kids that its a tool for adults and that there is no respawn in life.
And this love affair with guns that some people have isn't exactly helping.

If you have kids, there shouldn't be any ease of accessibility. You should have it locked up, and make the safe, easily accessibly, for yourself. I won't even leave my conceal in my truck without me inside it, or my truck is locked up(ofc my little girl isn't in it), and I'd never leave any of my guns out. Owning a gun is a huge responsibility, and adding children into the equation only adds to it tenfold. It's a tragedy when a parent makes that fatal mistake of thinking they've placed their gun "out of reach" of their child...

Game is rated 17+ by the ESRB.

I guess it's the mentality parents bring up their kids? I was playing GTA3 when it came out and I was let's see.. came out in 2001 so I was 9. I also did grow up in a neighborhood where you could hear gunshots every night. Weird, I'm not on the corner selling dope or shooting people in the face. Could it be the way I was raised? Nah, couldn't be!

in europe its 18 set by pegi, my point is more to say you cant blame the game as on the off chance this kid is retarded and wanted to copy the game, in reality he shouldnt be playing it esrb and pegi set these ratings for a reason, i dont think games cause violence but i dont think you need to expose your kids to hookers, drugs and gun violence thats just irresponsible parenting, not to say i didnt play these games while under the rating

Yes but... sometimes you can blame the game! Violent video games can be as addicting as drugs..
Some kids become addicted and won't go outside and play. Overall, this is very bad for a child's health.
It might even trigger.. an unstable kid to kill their parents. Just because, they did forbid their child from playing.

That's why games are rated. And an 8 year old should not be playing 17/18+ rated game. So, in this case, game is not to blame.

Of course.. But "playing a video game minutes before" he shot her.
Well, why didn't he picked up the gun before... he played the game?