In Louisiana, on August 22, an 8-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed his 90-year-old grandmother after playing “Grand Theft Auto IV.” The game is rated M, which means it is for ages 17 and older.
No motive was given, but the boy killed the woman right after playing the game. The boy took the family gun and shot Marie Smothers in the head while she was watching television. The child said it was accidental, but evidence led police to think the shooting was intentional. Smothers was the boy’s caregiver. He was released to his parents on Thursday night.
A child psychologist offered his perspective on violent video games. From FOX News:
“From a behavior therapy perspective, I would say that’s practicing,” Kristopher Kaliebe, a LSU Health Sciences Center child psychologist told Fox8live.com.
“So if you have a video game where someone shoots at a target, that’s sort of practicing shooting at a target. When you have a video game that is shooting at a human being, that is practicing shooting at a human being,” Kaliebe said.
They boy cannot be charged with a crime because of his age. The law reads: “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.”