Thursday, 29 July, 2004
Experts have warned against a knee-jerk reaction after the parents of a murdered teenager blamed his killer's obsession with a violent video game.
The parents of Stefan Pakeerah, 14, who was stabbed in Leicester, have called for the game Manhunt to be banned.
Giselle Pakeerah said her son's confessed killer, Warren Leblanc, 17, had mimicked behaviour in Manhunt.
Industry bodies have said it is wrong to blame the game - which has an 18 certificate - but retailer Dixons has already taken it off the shelves.
Teenage killers
It is not the first time "shoot-em-up" video games have been blamed for triggering a violent response.
Relatives of Columbine High School victims filed a lawsuit against game makers after it was claimed teenage killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were influenced by games including Doom.
And German teenager Robert Steinhaeuser, who shot dead 13 teachers and two fellow pupils before turning the gun on himself, was reportedly an avid fan of the game Counter-Strike.
http://news.bbc.co.u.../uk/3936237.stm
Here we go again...