Sacto 9-1-1: Will 'Grand Theft Auto IV' drive up crime?

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Sacto 9-1-1

The Sacramento Bee's Crime blog is a comprehensive report of crime news, trends and information for your community and beyond.

May 1, 2008

Will 'Grand Theft Auto IV' drive up crime?

From Dan Nguyen:

As I waited in line at the GameStop in east Sacramento right before the Tuesday midnight launch of the ultra-violent videogame, "Grand Theft Auto IV," I did wonder if some kind of crime might break out. Being around 70 young men, some joking about virtual carjackings and shootings, in the middle of the night ... who knows, right? Actually, except for a few people speeding out of the parking lot, it was a very civil and orderly event.

Unfortunately, the Times Online reports that in the UK, there were at least a couple of crimes related to the much anticipated video game. In South London, one gamer was stabbed in the head and neck while waiting in line. A Lancashire man was beaten and robbed of his new copy of "GTA4."

Analysts expect this game to be one of the best selling titles in video game history. Expect a slew of stories from police officials, psychologists, and game industry veterans about whether games like "GTA4" will inspire gamers to go on killing sprees.

In 2005, 60 Minutes did a piece titled "Can A Video Game Lead To Murder?" A $600 million civil lawsuit claims that Grand Theft Auto is a "murder simulator" that led 18-year-old Devin Moore, who had no previous criminal record, to kill three people (including two police officers) at a rural police station in 2003.

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