Grand Theft Auto Kills Again

[Alvis]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=502424
Lawsuit Claims 'Grand Theft Auto' Led Teen to Kill Two Alabama Officers and Dispatcher in 2003
The Associated Press

Feb. 15, 2005 - A lawsuit claims the video game "Grand Theft Auto" led a teenager to shoot two police officers and a dispatcher to death in 2003, mirroring violent acts depicted in the popular game.

The suit announced Tuesday seeks damages from the game's manufacturers and two stores that allegedly sold it to Devin Thompson, now 18.

An attorney for relatives of two of the victims said Thompson, who is charged with murder, had played the video game repeatedly.

Thompson is accused of killing the three men in June 2003 after being brought to the Fayette police station on suspicion of driving a stolen car. Thompson allegedly grabbed one of the officer's guns, shot him and the other two, then fled in a patrol car.

The suit alleges Thompson purchased "Grand Theft Auto III" at the Gamestop in Jasper and "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" at the Jasper Wal-Mart when he was under 17. The games, which depict police killings and other acts of violence, are rated M, meaning they are appropriate for those 17 or older.

"What has happened in Alabama is that four companies participated in the training of Devin ... to kill three men," attorney Jack Thompson told The Tuscaloosa News, which reported the suit's filing.

Named in the suit are Wal-Mart Stores and Gamestop along with Take-Two Interactive Software, the manufacturer of the games, and Sony Computer Entertainment, the maker of the PlayStation 2.

Messages left for officials of three of the companies were not immediately returned. There was no answer at the listing for Gamestop in Grapevine, Texas.

At a December hearing, authorities said Devin Thompson, when he was apprehended, told officers, "Life is a video game. You've got to die sometime."

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright © 2005 ABC News Internet Ventures

 

[rugerdude]

Well of course it was the game that made him do it. Don't you know that people can't be held accountable for their actions?! :barf:

 

[w4klr]

Give me a break...

The whole Grand Theft Auto series is an amazing advancement for video games.

So lets start for holding the parent accountable for allowing a 17+ game into the house. I can understand holding the stores selling the game to him to it (which is still ridiculous), but not Sony and the game manufacturer.

The only influence I think that Grand Theft Auto has given me is an increased love and respect for Colt Pythons (I'm paying off the 3rd one to my collection).

 

[Vanguard.45]

New Headline should read. . . .

"Poor Training Allowed TWO Armed Police Officers and a Dispatcher to be Killed by a Minor"

or

"Devin Thompson- The New and Youngest 'Officer Survival' Instructor at the AL Police Academy" (Hell, he already taught one lesson FOR FREE)

or

"How Many Armed Police Officers does it Take to Process a Minor?"

or

"The Lost Art of Handgun Retention"

or

"Devin Thompson- 3, Police- 0"

or

"Police Department Now Using Grand Theft Auto as a Training Aid to New Officers- Shooting and Officer Survival Scores at an All Time High!!"


I was a cop at the time not too far from where this happened, and there is no excuse for it. Apparently, the easy way is to blame a game or a minor for a tragedy resulting from poor training and complacency. The Bubbas lost this one, and they ought to learn something from the absurdity of it.

My condolences go out to the families of the deceased, and my thanks to the departed for the reminder to us all.

Vanguard.45
A Fan of Grand Theft Auto (for Adults)

 

[thebucket]

I own GTA:Vice City and it does NOTHING to teach you how to, in real life, grab guns from someone, shoot people and run away in a car. I don't even think you can grab a gun away from someone in the game. I would bet the kid probably did steal the car and didn't want to go to prison. Therefore he grabbed the gun shot the officers and fled. Of course that only made the situation worse. In GTA it's a BAD thing to shoot officers because then the police are after you with a shoot on sight policy. It's often better to be stealthy than obvious. Sure you can shoot the officers and citizens or run them down in a car but the game doesn't let you just get away with it.

I'm sick of hearing that games cause violence and make people commit crimes. Personal responsibility has been flushed down the drain.

 

[too many choices!?]

Next they will be trying to sue the Government for not banning the game......idiots!

I bet it was a light night and they were having some fun with the kid......Not following some proceedure because he was a kid(maybe not cuffed behind the back?)......I just don't see how a kid can shoot 3 TRAINED and ARMED officers before one of them dropped him, unless they were goofing off.......

Now to deal with the kid......He should not get the chair unless it has a booster seat ....Sad as it is to say, it only takes one mistake to ruin/end your life. This kids life is over any way you look at it . He knowingly murdered 3 officers of the law, and should do time or worse if the courts decide......

Now the parents are idiots and should never have had kids in the first place.....Some of todays parents are their own worst enemy. Don't let the media or the entertainment industry raise your kid/s for you! I bet they won't have the discretion you will!

 

[rugerdude]

I was initially thinking "How the hell does a minor kill 3 cops" but I did not want to say that they were bad cops, but they must have been doing something wrong.

I am a minor (14) and I played GTA for awhile before I sold it and amazingly I didn't get the urge to kill anybody Here's why: I am mentally stable, I know the difference from right and wrong, I was raised by good parents who instilled good values in me, and I know what would happen if I did.

As far as videogames and guns go, I'm waiting for them to make a realistic target shooting game using a weighted and very sensitive light gun. That would be cool, it would also be cool to be able to have a rifle pistol and shotgun to do virtual 3 gun competitions with.

 

[LAK]

Similar thread on the subject of "Rap music".

And same things apply. It is not that any of this "makes" anyone do anything at all per se. But regardless of any one or number of people that can say that "it has no effect on them", it can, and does desensitize some people to certain things. It also active suggestion.

In essence these are the antithesis of things that are good, beneficial in a tangible way. Constructive. Edifying. Things of beauty. Violence is a fact of life, not something to be elevated alongside anything of worth.

 

[WillBrayjr]

I'm tired of hearing this crap about how "other" things cause death. The game didn't cause those people to die, the kid did. Its time to make people resposible for their actions!

 

[accordingtome]

Having put in over 1,000 hours in GTA vice City and getting 98% in the game i think i can say im an expert..

I agree the game makes you go out and kill people. Why just the other day i killed eight gang members, three cops, stole a car and shot at some tanks.. i almost got killed but i just taped in my cheat code and everything was fine.

I also play SOCOM and im on my way to a mission right now.

What a dumb kid.. sheesh.. How many of you guys grew up watching Tom & Jerry??? Did you run arround the house hitting your friends with a hammer, pot , pans or anvils.??

 

[Alvis]

I'm really good at Madden 2005. I think I'll try out for the NFL this year.

 

[WillBrayjr]

I grew up watching Tom&Jerry and Looney Tunes. However I also grew up watching horror movies like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th!