Experts disagree on violent video game connection to College Station shooting
The family of College Station gunman, Thomas Caffall says an addiction to violent video games might have been a reason he lost touch with reality and went on his rampage Monday afternoon.
Thomas Caffall
Therapist Melody Brooke says she believes that is entirely possible. She explains how it could happen, telling KTRH that people could snap, “If they already have fantasy issues and they can’t distinguish between reality and fantasy.”
Melody Brooke
Not everyone agrees. Danny Ledonne, who made waves by creating a video game based on the Columbine shootings years ago, told KTRH that the numbers don’t support Brooke’s argument.
Danny Ledone
“It’s very hard to make the argument that the more pervasive video games playing in our culture is the sole cause for violence,” Ledonne said
Ledonnee telling KTRH that despite the increase in violent video games over the years, crime statistics have continued to go down.
Ledonne explained, “We’ve had millions of people playing video games over the course of the last twenty years with increasingly realistic and sometimes violent portrayals of conflict, yet the general trend for crime statistics in the United States have continued to go down.”
Avid gamers agree with Ledonne. One game speaking with KTRH explained why he plays violent video games.
“I find it’s a great stress reliever. I go home at the end of the day having to deal with a bunch of people that I would loved to have jumped over the counter and have punched one sooner or later. But I don’t because I can go home and I can just shoot a dude in the face all I want.”
