Teen arsonists blame their crimes on 'Grand Theft Auto'

Too bad there is no restart button
for them!

People have been pointing the finger at video games forever, (including good old Hillary) and it's never worked. I'm surprised one of the molotovs didn't blow up in one of their hands, and then they would've tried to sue the company who manufacturers the bottle.

Wow, are we still having all of these bloody media effects debates every time something like this happens?

Yes, we're all influenced to a certain extent by what we see around us, but we all have free will too - and we're all active consumers of what we see and hear, not just sponges who soak it all up then go out, zombie-like, and re-enact scenes from games or films. Silly boys - they did it cos they wanted to and didn't give a crap enough *not* to, not cos a video game made them.

GTA is too awesome for a couple of idiots to spoil it. If GTA had any real effect on players, then more than just a couple of people would be affected.

I've often felt like killin player 2!

And I blame my insatiable appetite for dots and ghosts on pac man.

I'm surprised Bush never blamed the Iraq war on GTA.
miss amanda ahahahah

extreme games feed extreme minds

Yeah, lets take away all the violent video games, music, movies, comic books and any other mass media promoting violence just to see if it really affects people. Anyone who uses the "GTA Excuse" should be drawn and quartered for public ridicule.

Maybe they should have blamed the Iraq War... Would have been a different but futile approach to the "Blame Something Else" game.

We all know that GTA is not some Satan-spawned magical game that causes teens to be violent. You know what does, though? Idiocy.

If you can't tell the difference between a game and reality, you are a failure. Period.

when i was growing up playing GTA i always chose the station spinning reggae . even while running over old ladies i was laid back .

i'm surprised that they didn't blame rap

dumb, dumb kids.

So, raping pillaging and murder happened before GTA came out. What did they blame back then?

I played GTA, you don't see me running over people.

COMMON SENSE.

Jack might be too busy being disbarred.

So, anyone know when good ol Jackie boy will pop his head in?

Ignorance is bliss.

Would that be a four star rating or a three star?

So why don't 99% of criminals today just blame Grand Theft Auto?

Like we didn't see this coming?

Some people that do crimes blame it on movies, songs or video games because they know a marginal portion of the population would buy that excuse. This excuse works on some parents, teachers, principals, community leaders, etc. Molotov bottles have been used for arson long before GTA was ever a game. Video games, movies and songs never directly tell people to do anything, but people have been shown to be highly influenced by their parents and other relatives, friends, neighbors, and classmates. It just seems like everything that features violence or sex that young people like some want it banned but violent or sexual (and racist) content that the older generations like is accepted as a part of knowing our culture or growing up.

and again, i blame the parents of neglected youths could go as afar as blaming economics for forcing parents to work 2-4 jobs to keep up in life

No person can blame a computergame for their actions. its them thereselvs, making their body move its them who is making weapons to attack and blow things up so it is the kids fault solely not the games they play
(Dnt like what i say e-mail me)

What a revelation: TV tells them they should blame computer games so they do just that. Holy crap, who could have thought they might try that one?

Come one, these dudes need to be jailed big time.. no 'sorry' for them, I'm afriad.

I'm surprised Bush never blamed the Iraq war on GTA.

ugh...just ugh to those kids.

you suck

I am willing to wager that it is actually their attorney's who came up with the very old and very tired, lets blame GTA plan. Their job is to get their clients off regardless of their guilt, or get them the best deal possible. Unfortunately , its because of attorneys like that the myth is still being perpetuated that video games cause people to commit crimes.

I pose this question: Where were their parents and why has some of the blame not been shifted to them for their obvious failure in raiding these boys.

how the hell did they set cars on fire with sprite bottles? Plastic bottles don't break on contact...

Our children are so poorly raised they think GTA is a legitimate role model. One that they can point their finger at to take the fall when they fuck up. This is outrageous.

BTW aren't Sprite bottles plastic?

Great... why do these little assholes keep doing stupid things and trying to get out of it by blaming it on a game.

When I was a kid I watched all kinds of violent movies and I didn't go running around with no shirt on and a bow shooting people with arrows and blaming it on Rambo...

Crazy people are inclined to do crazy shit... it's just a matter or when and what triggers it!

Seems these GTA things are everywhere now.....could it be that the "media" is spinning this like everything else, I've played every GTA and I don't have any intent to copy what goes on in a GAME, common, these kids are just putting the blame on something instead of them selves.

I was told that the teens listened to Electro Choc

Firebugs got squished.

They should've spawned a tank to blow up cars instead.