Psychologist Says Shooting in Games is Practice for Shooting Humans

An 8 year old boy intentionally shot and killed his 90 year old elderly relative after playing Grand Theft Auto IV. Are Video Games to blame?

Louisiana authorities say an 8-year-old boy intentionally shot and killed a 90-year-old woman who was his caregiver after watching a video game with violent themes.

Deputies did not provide a motive, but they said the boy was playing the video game “Grand Theft Auto IV” — a realistic game that’s been associated with encouraging violence and awards points to players for killing people — just minutes before the fatal shooting. The game is rated “M” for mature audiences and recommended for ages 17 and older.

Authorities are calling the shooting a homicide.

“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 havea video game that is shooting at a human being, that is practicing shooting at a human being,” Kaliebe said.

The child was released to his parents Thursday night.

Louisiana law prohibits authorities from charging the child with a crime because of his age, the sheriff’s office said. The law states: “Those who have not reached the age of 10 years are exempt from criminal responsibility.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/24/la-police-boy-8-fatally-shoots-0-year-old-relative-after-playing-video-game/#ixzz2d3FkTQsr

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