No video games found in VT shooter's dorm

by John Bardinelli { Apr 19th 2007 at 8:59AM }

Video games were one of the first things blamed for the recent shootings at Virginia Tech. Dr. Phil and a certain Floridiot lawyer were two of the loudest voices, while an article in the online version of the Washing Post briefly mentioned Cho was a Counter-Strike player in high school. Not a big deal in our eyes, but to the general public if Cho even looked at a video game, it's case-closed.

After police searched Cho's dorm room, however, it seems he didn't own any video games at all. No murder simulators or gun training programs, not even a copy of Tetris. If video games didn't teach him these skills, where did they come from?! Oh noes!

We've posted our feelings about violent video games. Hopefully this lack of evidence will silence the anti-gaming pundits for a while.

Tags: drphil, jackthompson, news, violence, virginiatech

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Kizzle @ Apr 19th 2007 9:04AM

What a non-controversial discovery! The news stations must be disappointed.

sheppy @ Apr 19th 2007 9:04AM

Okay, it has to be said. First the Ohio mall shooting happened, let's blame video games. No video games found. Now this one, let's blame video games, no video games found. That's two in a row where the killers did NOT partake of the most common entertainment pasttime of their age groups. Wonder how JT is still ending up on TV.

Also, I want to read some of this guys fiction....

32_Footsteps @ Apr 19th 2007 9:08AM

sheppy, if you're actually interested in reading some of the shooter's stuff, The Smoking Gun has at least one thing he wrote on their site. I was bothered enough by "Richard McBeef" that I didn't try looking to see what else they had.

As for the tone of the post - not to burst your bubble, but the vultures have already moved on and are awaiting the next tragedy to exploit for their pet issue.

moominsean @ Apr 19th 2007 9:09AM

why can't people believe a random person can't pick up any gun, load it and shoot a bunch of people at close range without 'special' training? we see guns nonstop on tv and movies and they aren't generally complicated. a couple buttons and a trigger. i used to go to the shooting range and you have to try to miss at less than 10 or 15 feet away.
i wonder what they blamed in 1800? plays? the ball-in-cup game?

benjamin @ Apr 19th 2007 9:18AM

So, if we're to employ the same knee-jerk response to things that people like JT use, I think we can safely say that his not playing video games resulted in him shooting up the place.

So parents, force your kids to play murder simulators today!

Negativecool @ Apr 19th 2007 9:20AM

Thank god!

We can all breathe a sigh of relief...until the media finally needlessly blames all things video game for everything.

Zertoss @ Apr 19th 2007 9:20AM

"i wonder what they blamed in 1800?"

Witches.

Anyone else surprised that there were no games at all? I'd have expected that they would've at least found Starcraft. ;)

sheppy @ Apr 19th 2007 9:21AM

"i wonder what they blamed in 1800?"

They didn't have school shootings in 1800. By the time you finished loading the gun, class was over.

Undertaker @ Apr 19th 2007 9:38PM

Ok, how long before JT barges in her saying "The games have been ditched" or some such bs like that?

This is why I keep saying, any network that puts him on the air, should get a lawsuit from the ESA in 24 hours.

You know what i'm saying?

Chris @ Apr 19th 2007 9:27AM

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine said it perfectly about the scumbags who'd rather argue about gun control than focus on helping the victims and their families, which I think applies to the scumbags who have already started accusing video games of causing this tragedy:

“For those who want to make this a political hobby horse they can ride, I’ve got nothing but loathing for them."

I second that, Governor Kaine.

Jb @ Apr 19th 2007 9:34AM

They blamed world of warcraft. It has been in development since the 1800s. Thats why its so big.

colby @ Apr 19th 2007 10:33AM

When Thompson was interviewed on MSNBC or FOX News yesterday morning, I believe he went as far to say he "guaranteed" they would find copies of "these murder simulators that he played".

The most rediculous part was that whoever had him on, they listed his title not as lawyer or activist ... but something asinine such as "School Shooting Expert". Good gawd, they'll just slap anything up there for sensationalism.

Sam G. @ Apr 19th 2007 10:33AM

Can we officially refer to him as "Jack Thompson, attorney at lawl"?

shaoron @ Apr 19th 2007 10:33AM

We've posted our feelings about violent video games. Hopefully this lack of evidence will silence the anti-gaming pundits for a while.

knowing Mr. "Floridiot" Lawyer, i doubt, dude...

and as far as "marksmanship training" is concerned, anyone can pick up a gun, point it at someone and pull the trigger (if they do have enough strength to pull the trigger). "marksmanship training" only helps in coping with the recoil and increase accuracy of shots..
but AGAIN, any dufos can pick one up and hit someone even out of luck... besides.. movies are doing a better job teaching everyone how to use firearms than video games.

Rob @ Apr 19th 2007 10:34AM

But, but, he played Microsoft's Counterstrike.

kip @ Apr 19th 2007 10:36AM

"First the Ohio mall shooting happened, let's blame video games. No video games found."

This can only mean that the non-gamer demographic is a serious threat to America. And to think that companies like Nintendo are actually marketing to these monsters!

shaoron @ Apr 19th 2007 10:37AM

is @ Apr 19th 2007 10:39AM

Oh dear...games cant be blamed. How about atheism? Terrorism?

Anything rather than blaming the real culprit: America's twisted, stupid and immoral gun laws.

gphoenix51 @ Apr 19th 2007 10:41AM

All I can say is, Thank F'n God! I knew that if this loser so much had a copy of Pong in his room, there would be the usual Video Game death storm. Maybe its been averted for the most part. Good old JT and Dr. Phil won't shut up about it of course, but at least this time there isn't any evidence.

Kevin Archibald @ Apr 19th 2007 10:41AM

What, NO video games??

And this guy was South Korean?

Houston, i think we've spotted the problem!! I think we *CAN* put the blame squarely on video games. A distinct and erie lack of them.

kip @ Apr 19th 2007 10:40AM

Steph @ Apr 20th 2007 2:11PM

Well I find blaming 1st person shooters is the most idiotic thing. I've been playing games as such all my life. From doom the original till our latest 3d master piece that we have these days and never in my life have I thought about doing such a thing. If you check the CNN clip of the guy you can clearly see that he was insane and I’m sure he was before he played any PC games. If games are so powerful they should take the flight simulations of the shelf. Last week I tried driving my car over a cliff since I thought I would had gotten enough lift. NO I didn't since I’m sane. I believe that games as such would actually help us in some kind of chaotic event in world. And if there is something to really blame it on. It would be our actual present crazy world that we live in and NOT GAMES.

copa @ Apr 19th 2007 10:48AM

"but to the general public if Cho even looked at a video game, it's case-closed."

Stop being so paranoid. The 'general public' is not out to get videogamers. A lot of them enjoy videogames.

sammy @ Apr 19th 2007 11:11AM

What about the other perspective? Maybe if he'd had Counterstrike he could have vented his anger on it, perhaps this would have happened at his high school if he hadnt had Counterstrike back then.

john @ Apr 19th 2007 11:11AM

Actually, in the 1800s theaters were considered places of loose morals. Some people really did blame plays for the ills of society. Of course Lincoln's assassination in Ford theater by the actor John WIlkes Booth only furthered that perception.

T @ Apr 19th 2007 11:12AM

So anybody want to bet that this won't be showing up on any AP wire or news report this week?

Though it would explain why some writers have moved onto blaming movies...no matter how obscure the connection.

Derbeste @ Apr 19th 2007 11:13AM

Sheppy...

You're forgetting one.

The Trolley square shooter in SLC, Utah a month ago had no video games either.

So that's actually THREE in a row with no games.

However, I must say this....

I can think of no bigger shame that things have to happen like this before people will believe our community.

I can only hope that our own community will not be like Dr. Phil and JT. I hope will AT LEAST wait for the family to mourn properly before we starting shouting, "SEE!? I TOLD YOU SO!"

vidyagamer @ Apr 20th 2007 9:35AM

The other day I was playing some Super Mario Brothers.

Next day at work I was running down the hall, jumping six feet into the air and hitting ceiling tiles with my head.

Mushrooms appeared.

I ate them.

Sometimes I'd land on people then kick them 50 feet down the hallway.

When I reached the end of the hall, I ducked into the restroom.

Down the toilet, yo.

Tonight I'm playing Crimson Skies.

Prepare for real life mayhem from the sky.

Derbeste @ Apr 19th 2007 11:17AM

@is:

You are an insensitive prick.

If you point fingers at guns and criticize society for pointing at games, you are an idiot and a hypocrite.

If there is a REAL culprit...I say it is CHO! NOTHING AND NO ONE ELSE!!!

NOT guns.

NOT Videogames.

NOT rich kids or society.

NOT homosexuals and sinners.

NOT movies.

CHO is the culprit. PERIOD!

And you are an opportunistic asshole.

t_m @ Apr 19th 2007 11:18AM

soo.. 3 in a row with no games? and 82% own video video games consoles?

That would make it statistically likely that video games REDUCE the chance of you flipping out and shooting people.

Derbeste @ Apr 19th 2007 11:24AM

t_m:

Some have actually contended that.

I have heard it hypothosized that videogames can provide a safe outlet for people with stress and violent tendencies.

However, 3 shootings with no games is hardly a big enough sample to suggest that is supporting evidence to that theory.

Yes I know you were being ironic, but I just wanted to be sure no idiot read it and decided it was fact.

mor911 @ Apr 19th 2007 11:24AM

Maybe the reason gamers aren't killing 33 people in college is because I can blast away my frustrations at some Yakuza gang member or be an arab terrorist in BF2. I'd never harm someone in real life, but I'll bust me some caps in videogame gang land lol

Travis @ Apr 19th 2007 11:26AM

I'm tired of the people that say "I bet he plays video games" when they heard about it. Probably he has at some point, but that just proves that he is in the age group that loves games. Most shooters owned cell phone, that doesn't prove that cell phones causes people to go on shooting rampages. It is really ridicoulous reasoning when they say someone did something and they play video games hence it was because of the video games.

(it reminds me of a simpsons episode where Lisa tries selling Homer a rock that keeps lions away, and it works, because there are no lions, hence the rock worked.)

ncxcstud @ Apr 19th 2007 11:27AM

Good news.

I wonder how ol' Jackie boy will react now? He'll more than likely think the investigation was inaccurate or their is a conspiracy being applied by Microsoft and 2K Games to keep their beloved game 'Counterstrike Half-Life' from being associated with such a tragedy.

Also, i wonder what JT would think of a friend and I...we both play video games very often, even the 'ultra violent' ones like Gears of War and Crackdown (and occasionally GTA ;)), yet...my friend is graduating from seminary (LTSS) this May and will be pastoring a Lutheran church in the Northeastern Pennsylvania area and I will be starting seminary (LTSS as well) to become a Lutheran pastor as well this summer.

Hmm...

kris @ Apr 19th 2007 11:27AM

@ Derbeste

There is only one idiot here my friend and thats you. How far would he have got on his killing spree with out guns????? Please, how far??? We don't have guns in England and while we do have gun crime we don't have kids walking around campus shooting the hell out of there fellow students. Thats because getting hold of guns is very very hard!!

The saddest thing is i'm not even sure how long he will hold the 'record' of 32 kills before some one else out does him.

Jake @ Apr 19th 2007 11:29AM

A few random points...

The media used this as an anti-gaming story. Now that the connection has been proven false, they will move on without reporting that it has nothing at all to do with games. In the end, this will actually be an incident that pushes clueless people towards having more hatred of games. It will be another piece of evidence, since only the game connection will get national attention. That is how the TV makes our society believe lies in general.

If everybody had a gun, Cho would have only gotten 2 or 3. Maybe 5 or 6 if he was lucky/good.

Video games don't really teach you how to kill. They don't teach you how to acquire or operate a gun. They don't teach you how to aim (dual analog and WASP are nothing like aiming a real gun, and you don't get floating crosshairs and zoom when you go into aim mode). All they teach you is that big guns kill better and headshots make people die with less shotz.

Jon @ Apr 19th 2007 11:35AM

Things to check list when finding something to blame for any school shooting:

Video games
Left wing conspiracy
Atheism
Films
Music
Terrorism
Muslims
Abortions (one of the father of a dead actually cited abortions as one of the causes of school shooting when interviewed on a British telly)

Phil @ Apr 19th 2007 4:57PM

Someone should have reached out to this sad loner and given him a copy of viva Pinata.

Set me straight......

Derbeste @ Apr 19th 2007 11:42AM

Kris...

And we all know England has NO history of violence in it's past right?

please.

Besides....I never said I was a gunning touting member of the NRA. I never said I wasn't for gun control either.

I merely said that CHO is to blame for what happened. And pointing the finger at ANYTHING else is hyprocisy.

Others can play the "how far would he have gone" game too.

How about:

"this wouldn't have happened if he didn't have guns"

"This wouldn't have happened if he had better parents"

"This wouldn't have happened if we wouldn't allow immigration of just ANYONE"

"This wouldn't have happened if we banned violent videogames"

"This wouldn't have happened if we were all communist and made sure no one was rich."

See the pattern!? There is ALWAYS something to blame. Why must we always blame the tool and not the person wielding it????

It's called PERSONAL responsibility. Not inatimate object responsibility.

As many people have already pointed out, shit went down before games....

Well.....SHIT WENT DOWN BEFORE GUNS TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(P.S. I agree with you more than I let on about gun control, but I think nothing will EVER be truly solved until we start addressing people before tools. Go for the root CAUSE...not the symptom.)

Derek @ Apr 19th 2007 11:52AM

In this case, the media have been forced to examine the mental state of the killer, rather than looking for scapegoats such as video games. It's obvious from his writings and his videotaped rant that he was mentally ill.

Also, I have to question a background check that only looks for a criminal record, and not at the fact that he had been declared "a danger to himself and others" by the state of Virginia only last year.

Jack of No Trades @ Apr 19th 2007 11:46AM

Games are a way to escape the bullshit thats in real life. It the same reason why I play guitar. I like losing myself in the music. Music/games help me cope with the fucking stupid shit that occurs in life. Some people have mental problems that cause them to be insecure and crazy. If you mix a bad childhood, drugs, violence with mental instability the negative results are tremendous.

Blame society/religion for (most) of our hate and insecurities. People are assholes that make fun and judge of other people for liking a certain thing or acting a certain way. Thats why world world is such a cluster fuck.

sheppy @ Apr 19th 2007 11:47AM

@32_Footsteps,

I read that Richard McBeef. I think what drove him to kill is his horrid ability at spinning a yarn. Seriously, what a piece of shit smeared into the form of text that was.

@kris

I am not a gun activists by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I hate em. Saw far too many in my lifetime and far too much violence. So it's with that attitude that I respond to you now.

Are you a "special" case? If getting a gun through legal means is too difficult, illegal means are there and those aren't too hard to find either. Trying to blame this on guns is blatantly ignorant. If Cho didn't have guns, bombs aren't that hard to make. Or even chaining the doors (like he did) and going about some good old fashioned Arson. He would have found a way to do what he did. It just so happens the gun was the only way he could personally get close to the victims. As for your record comment, dude, this was a record established in 1966. That's over 40 years. Doubtful we'll see it anytime soon no matter how much that disappoints you.

And, incidently, it's REAL easy to get a gun in Canada and the gun to person ratio is almost equal to the states. Where is their 30,000 a year kill count? This violence, sadly, is an American thing. NOT A GUN THING. Guns are the instrument but the violence is still inherent.

Neal @ Apr 19th 2007 11:50AM

Someone go shoot someone and say you did it because JT is a douchebag, and you were tired of his lies.

Be sure to sell off all of your videogames first.

Actually... maybe you shouldn't shoot someone...

Heres what this all comes down to.

Cho was stressed cause nobody liked him, and he had no friends... shit happens. He was jealous of rich kids and their nice cars and parties. Nobody paid attention to him, and he snapped.

Cho is a pansy. I had a hard time in Junior High, but get over it. Go to public places and make some goddamn friends. Cho was just a coward who took an easy way out and tried to make a statement that people need to be nicer and not so spoiled... is it true? yeah, it is, but, killing 32 people (and yourself) is no way to prove a point.

Suicide would have been a better answer for him. If he doesn't like the way things were, kill himself, not other.

I have friends - I saw to it that we hang out together
I have a nice car - I paid for it myself
I drink vodka - Party time with friends

F*** you Cho, you dickhead. Grow a pair and man up.

Jimmuy Bay @ Apr 19th 2007 1:11PM

Obviously people go on psychotic rampages when they don't eat enough fresh fruits and vegtables.

Neal @ Apr 19th 2007 11:54AM

I also agree with jacks last comment.

I've been agreeing with him a lot recently... weird.

Jack of No Trades @ Apr 19th 2007 11:55AM

Sheppy

"This violence, sadly, is an American thing"

No its a human thing. Everywhere in the world violence occurs. In alot of place violence is ten times worse. We humans are programmed for violence.

Its in our genes. For thousands of years people have been at war because of differences in money, religion, power and race. Its so fucking stupid.