German school attacked, videogames blamed

A young man attacked his former school one day. And then he committed suicide. That’s the story. The rest are details:

Bastian B., an 18-year-old resident of western German town of Emsdetten, went to his former school of Scholl Secondary and perpetrated attacks using firearms and explosives. He had seriously wounded 27 people, and before the authorities got to him, he killed himself. According to German media reports, Bastian’s shooting spree was inspired by violent computer and simulated war games.

The reports reached the parliament and as a result, Wolfgang Bosbach, deputy head of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats ordered a crackdown on violent titles. “We need effective guidelines to protect children from exposure to different types of media, but we don’t need killer games that can lead to brutalization,” declared Bosbach. State of Bavaria’s Family Minister Christa Stewens seconded, “Bavaria has had such a ban in place since 2002.”

On the other hand, opposition Greens have been steadfast on giving warnings regarding such actions. Leading member of Greens Volker Beck maintains that instead of banning, the government must focus on the proper use of computers and not jump into conclusions.

And so a young man attacked his former school one day. Then he committed suicide. That is the story. The rest, as said, are details.

Via Reuters

A young man attacked his former school one day. And then he committed suicide. That’s the story. The rest are details:

Bastian B., an 18-year-old resident of western German town of Emsdetten, went to his former school of Scholl Secondary and perpetrated attacks using firearms and explosives. He had seriously wounded 27 people, and before the authorities got to him, he killed himself. According to German media reports, Bastian’s shooting spree was inspired by violent computer and simulated war games.

The reports reached the parliament and as a result, Wolfgang Bosbach, deputy head of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats ordered a crackdown on violent titles. “We need effective guidelines to protect children from exposure to different types of media, but we don’t need killer games that can lead to brutalization,” declared Bosbach. State of Bavaria’s Family Minister Christa Stewens seconded, “Bavaria has had such a ban in place since 2002.”

On the other hand, opposition Greens have been steadfast on giving warnings regarding such actions. Leading member of Greens Volker Beck maintains that instead of banning, the government must focus on the proper use of computers and not jump into conclusions.

And so a young man attacked his former school one day. Then he committed suicide. That is the story. The rest, as said, are details.

Via Reuters