Paul D.

Latest Game Related Shooting – CoD4 Scene to Blame?

Written by Paul D. on Saturday, September 19th, 2009

Topics: News

A new murder that’s being blamed on a video-game could be related to a scene in Call of Duty 4.

An article on Salisbury Post first reported on the news claiming that a video-game was to blame in the shooting of 20-year-old Elbert Leon “Trey” Chambers III by his 19-year-old brother Bobby Jonathan Chambers in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Apparently, the younger brother took a semi-automatic Ruger pistol to the head of his older brother, imitating a scene from an as-of-yet unknown video game. He did so after checking to see if it was unloaded, and fired. He’s claiming he was unaware of there being a bullet in the chamber. The brothers were apparently playing video games at the time.

So what video game should we be blaming now? While speculation, we think it’s most likely – due to its popularity – something along the lines of Call of Duty 4. There are a few scenes in the game where close-range executions are performed with a pistol, including a first-person scene.

While we usually will defend video games when it comes to murders, this might be a time when a genuine mistake can be ‘blamed’ on a video game. Should the mainstream press get a hold of what title was to ‘blame’, expect to hear more of the incident.

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59 Comments Comments For This Post I'd Love to Hear Yours!

  1. Vote -1 Vote +1Andy Szent UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Well you do also leave out that both brothers were convicted felons and that narcotics were found in the house as well… Although the video game is to blame, this is more an example of stupidity at its prime

  2. Jamie Nicol
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jamie Nicol CANADA Google Chrome Windows
    says:

    seeing how this almost never happens, those guys are complete retards, and there is no point in blaming the video game, because when your that stupid its just a matter of time. their a lost cause

  3. ryan kella
    Vote -1 Vote +1ryan kella CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    hey the stupidity of people still amaze me! yay lets get all hopped up and kill ourselves!!! hey maybe if i grab this M4 with a full clip and aim it at a crowd someone might just scream…. lets find out…. DO NOT BLAME GAMES FOR YOUR OWN STUPIDITY

  4. Arthur Martinez
    Vote -1 Vote +1Arthur Martinez CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    I’m sure once the media gets a hold of the story, it will be plastered as another video game related incident. If they announce at all that the brothers were both convicted felons and narcotics were found at the house, it will in a low key paragraph and not in the main headline.

    Although I will admit that there are resemblances to the scenes from COD4, I can only blame stupidity for this incidence.

  5. durrrr durrrrr
    Vote -1 Vote +1durrrr durrrrr CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    i guess his brother forgot to put the respawn timer on

  6. byaaahh
    Vote -1 Vote +1byaaahh UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    “While we usually will defend video games when it comes to murders, this might be a time when a genuine mistake can be blamed on a video game”.

    Oh, right. Next time we should blame GTA for someone who thinks they can get away from law enforcement by driving four blocks away.

  7. anon
    Vote -1 Vote +1anon UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    How stupid do you have to be to hold a real gun up to someones head. Loaded or not. You don’t do it. And as for blaming COD4 causing this whole incident, they were 19 and 20 years old. Full grown adults. Not little kids who think waving daddy’s gun around is fun.

  8. Infamous Butcher
    Vote -1 Vote +1Infamous Butcher UNITED KINGDOM Netscape Navigator
    says:

    The stupidity of a 19yo to not check the chamber of a gun, that had a full clip (i presume full, maby it was 1/2 full/empty or 3/4 full) in it, does not put any blame on a video game. IF he claims he was imitating a sceen from game you would also assume that his brother would have been curious to know if there was one in the chamber. This is pure stupidity on both persons behalf. I wouldnt let anyone point a gun at me or even near me without knowing for certain that it was completely empty, let alone point it point blank at my head.
    This would be like blaming the next world war on Call of Duty. Its not as if no one ever shot someone in the head before this sceen was made.

  9. Jose
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jose UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Survival of the fittest.

    This is just the world ridding itself of stupidity, one retard at a time.

  10. Al-Asad
    Vote -1 Vote +1Al-Asad UNITED STATES Safari Mac OS
    says:

    What a dumb moron… Number #1 rule of gun safety, never point it at a person.

  11. MajorRodriguez
    Vote -1 Vote +1MajorRodriguez UNITED STATES Google Chrome Windows
    says:

    You know. Who would be stupid enough to even do that, loaded or not. It amazes me that 2 Retards like this would do this. If you can blame this on Video Games then I can blame the Author of this Post for being Bias and Choosing sides. You should know that when you report the News you never choose a side, it makes you look like an Ass.

  12. Brother In Arms.
    Vote -1 Vote +1Brother In Arms. UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    I have to agree with Major. not to mention, the responsibility would in part lie with anyone who let their gun fall into the hands of these kids and not teach them proper gun safety. mainly being don’t point your gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot, and always check to see if there is a bullet in the chamber. this article really is stupid. fault should not lie with the video game in any way.

  13. Brandon
    Vote -1 Vote +1Brandon UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    “i guess his brother forgot to put the respawn timer on”

    hahahahaha

  14. MajorRodriguez
    Vote -1 Vote +1MajorRodriguez UNITED STATES Google Chrome Windows
    says:

    Hey BIA, you decided to post here. Well time to head back to the Call of Duty Forums. Is that a Coincidence? This being blamed on Call if Duty, and us members of the Call of Duty Forums… ;)

  15. BabyFartsMcGeeZacks
    Vote -1 Vote +1BabyFartsMcGeeZacks UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    Why is this kid pointing a gun at someone in the first place…

    If your going to blame someone, blame the parents.

  16. Trite
    Vote -1 Vote +1Trite TAIWAN Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Natural Selection

  17. Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    I could understand a little bit more if they were younger, but if that was the case they shouldn’t have had the guns in the first place, but 19 years old? Dumb, just dumb.

  18. the techgameuser
    Vote -1 Vote +1the techgameuser UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    haha. what a dumb ass!!! THIS IS SUCH A COP OUT! WOW!!!!

  19. Paul D.
    Vote -1 Vote +1Paul D. UNITED KINGDOM Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    I apologise for the misunderstanding I’ve caused here. The ‘blame’ and ‘blamed’ parts were supposed to be sarcastic comments, but instead I’ve ended up fuelling it even more. Oh, the irony. =p

    And I don’t see any reason why they were gang members should influence this. We’re not reporting the news straight, we’re reporting it in relation to video games. Besides, we don’t want to risk defamatory by making or inciting a comment about their being gang members.

    Thank you.

  20. Disillusioned
    Vote -1 Vote +1Disillusioned UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Obviously violent films are always completely exempt from influencing any kind of crime, even though they are often far more realistic. Likewise bad parenting and the clear fact that the shooting brother was too mentally challenged to check the chamber have nothing to do with the outcome. No, it was definitely video games, as they are an easy scapegoat.

  21. Ian W.
    Vote -1 Vote +1Ian W. THAILAND Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    Some people are just stupid to be honest. The whole reason acts like that are popular in games is because they have serious consequences in real life.

    Ian W.

  22. W. Jeffers
    Vote -1 Vote +1W. Jeffers UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    How on Earth can anyone blame this on a game? It is the fault of the younger brother, he’s the one dumb enough to point a REAL gun at his brother and pull the trigger. The older brother wasn’t too smart either actually agreeing to it! Either they were both drunk or just both extremely stupid, because no one with half a brain cell would be dumb enough to do something like that. And I would like to know who actually decided to blame a video game on this! This is why some people are against video games, because there are stupid people in this world who are stupid enough to do things like this, and other people who are stupid enough to blame a game. COD4 had nothing to do with this, don’t slander it.

  23. Mark R
    Vote -1 Vote +1Mark R UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    The assertion that a video game may have caused this incident is too ridiculous to dignify.

    “Drugs Involved in Gang Shooting” would have sufficed.

  24. Ziggy
    Vote -1 Vote +1Ziggy UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    Wow… i didn’t know media had THAT big of an influence on people…just goes to show what drugs, alchohol and video games results in..”hey bro! let me do what that guy did and pop a cap in yo head!” “aight,im down, dont forget to point in at my Temple!”

  25. Sir Pretender
    Vote -1 Vote +1Sir Pretender UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    It’s all a matter of PR nowadays…

  26. nameless
    Vote -1 Vote +1nameless UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    video games had nothing to do with it

  27. C Steen
    Vote -1 Vote +1C Steen UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Wow, that makes perect sense to me dude!

    R
    http://www.online-privacy.us.tc

  28. Vladimir
    Vote -1 Vote +1Vladimir BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    Why to blame the game just because this kid is too stupid to check the gun first :O
    And where did he get semi-auto gun??? hmmmm????
    So blame the kid, not the game…

  29. dee dee dee
    Vote -1 Vote +1dee dee dee UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    are we going to blame all media, games,videos, tv? It’s time to take responsibility for your actions and quit blaming others.

  30. Jacob
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jacob UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Mac OS
    says:

    I call BS…killed his brother and now is looking for an excuse so he doesn’t get life in prison.

  31. Anon
    Vote -1 Vote +1Anon CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Natural selection at its finest.

  32. A
    Vote -1 Vote +1A UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    “While we usually will defend video games when it comes to murders, this might be a time when a genuine mistake can be β€˜blamed’ on a video game.”

    No. Just because it was seen in a game, movie, or read in a book doesn’t take the blame off of the 19 year old that should’ve known better.

    A better sentence would be: This might be a time when a genuine mistake can be “blamed” on the lack of gun safety the shooter had.

    I really think you’re trolling for comments and views like newspapers whore for headlines. Good job.

  33. Adam
    Vote -1 Vote +1Adam CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    I love how the media twists everything around. I’ve been playing first person shooters my whole life and I would never even point a BB gun at someone. The owner of the gun should be charged with being reckless. Its about time North American society stop blaming “video games” for their f*cked up children. Maybe parents should spend more time teaching them values then buying them the latest gaming consoles for Christmas.

  34. Mattie
    Vote -1 Vote +1Mattie NETHERLANDS Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Ohmygod… Something tells me that the gun laying around the house is more to blame then the videogame… Same goes for the stupidity of aiming at someones head en shooting! Blaming this on CoD4 is shortsighted!

  35. Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    Yea lets blame video games again because that’s the easy thing to do. Don’t blame the moron playing with a loaded gun pointed at his brothers head…it’s not his fault….COD4 told him to do it.

  36. Mike
    Vote -1 Vote +1Mike UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    Ok from the news source I’m getting some interesting pieces of info (btw they released 2 stories on it from the Salisbury post, posted on bottom):

    1. they were known gang members
    2. Convicted felons
    3. Victim had gunshot wounds to head and upper body (how if the magazine was empty and 1 bullet in chamber?!?!)
    4. A resident said he wasn’t surprised someone got shot b/c lots of “activity was going on there”
    5. a neighbor heard 2 shots and saw 4-5 ppl fleeing the scene

    I don’t know but it sounds a little more than “video games made me do it”

    http://www.salisburypost.com/Area/091709-cops-Chambers-killed-on-W–Horah
    http://www.salisburypost.com/Area/091709-cops-follo-on-Chambers-shooting

  37. Dan
    Vote -1 Vote +1Dan CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Or ya know. How about the parents not leaving a loaded pistol around the house where a child can easily access it.

    Stop blaming entertainment, and start taking responsibility.

  38. Cammy
    Vote -1 Vote +1Cammy Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    β€œi guess his brother forgot to put the respawn timer on”

    hahahahaha

    I agree with everyone, at 19 years old you should know to check the chamber. end of story.

  39. kurse
    Vote -1 Vote +1kurse UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Video games are not to be blamed. Guns are not to be blamed. They are 19 and 20 so the parents are not to blame. Why do we always look for someone other than the one responsible to blame? The brother who did the shooting is to blame. You don’t play with guns! They are not toys but tools to be used by responsible individuals.

  40. Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Alright motherfuckers. You don’t aim a goddamn gun at anyone. Loaded or not loaded. You just don’t. That’s rule number fucking one. God damnit. Go on with your bullshit, trying to blame a game. Get the fuck out of here man. You have to be the dumbest motherfuckers alive to do some bullshit like that.

  41. Delerious
    Vote -1 Vote +1Delerious UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    The video game made me do it? The Devil made me do it? The heavy metal music made me do it? The movie made me do it?
    Please, people need to start taking responsibility for their own actions. A person’s own stupidity made them do it. By that age you should be accountable for your actions, and have basic reasoning between right and wrong. This may be an accident, but the fact is the guy put a gun to his brother’s head and pulled the trigger. Ok now follow me…

    HE put the gun to his brother’s head and pulled the trigger.

    Anyway, I always think articles like this are rubbish, could you tell?

  42. Broheim
    Vote -1 Vote +1Broheim UNITED STATES Safari Mac OS
    says:

    Maybe its a genuine mistake to let black people have guns. 90% chance that they have different fathers that they have never met too, so he didnt care too much about killing his half brother. Let’s look at things on the bright side: at least half of the moronic duo is gone forever, and if the law can do anything proper, we got rid of both of them! Otherwise we’d end up having a Elbert Leon “Tayquan” Chambers XII in about 10 years, considering the black re-population rate. Who ever let them start giving titles and putting lineage numbers behind every goddam person?

  43. Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous SWITZERLAND Mozilla Ubuntu Linux
    says:

    yeah of couse its the game, not stupidity. the game put the gun to his brothers head, the game pulled the trigger, the game was too stupid to unload the gun.

    besides that YOU DONT POINT GUNS AT PEOPLE, you also CHECK THE GODDAMN CHAMBER when unloading a gun.

  44. Tyler
    Vote -1 Vote +1Tyler UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Yes, you forgot to mention that both of the brothers were convicted felons =\

  45. Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Nice going Koku tagging the thing to COD4. That part really didn’t need to be in there. There’s no mistake here, just someone killing their brother. Obviously if it wasn’t his brother it would’ve been someone else because of unsafe gun practices. Lesson learned? Probably not until he is sentenced.

  46. Admir J.
    Vote -1 Vote +1Admir J. UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    @ A

    Quit speaking out of your butt, no one is reading your comment hehe

  47. Dr Nigga
    Vote -1 Vote +1Dr Nigga CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    “Natural selection at its finest.”

    This. If he’s stupid enough to let someone do that, I’m surprised he lasted that long.

  48. Andrew
    Vote -1 Vote +1Andrew CANADA Google Chrome Windows
    says:

    blame a game? how about calling the kids fucking morons , or blame the parents
    or how did they get a gun?

    the issue is not game related, its about what retards can do if they have guns.

    if reservoir dogs was on, would they be blaming Quentin had he cut his brothers ear off?

  49. Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous SWITZERLAND Mozilla Ubuntu Linux
    says:

    convicted felons, check
    gang members, check
    whole family known to police, check
    drugs, check
    too young to own a gun, check
    illegal guns, check

    @kokugamer.com why dont you mention these facts?

    and what exactly is a “Project Safe watchlist” good for if people on it easily can obtain guns and drugs? shouldnt they be watched?

    oh and i

  50. bigjim
    Vote -1 Vote +1bigjim UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    many times this article states “the game is to blame”… blah blah.. did some dude come out of the screen with the Ruger and blast this guy point blank? no, it was his own brother that was completely mishandling a firearm. neither of these guys are even minors, just highly impressionable retarded adults that got messed up for dickin around.

  51. Andrew
    Vote -1 Vote +1Andrew UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    guys you have to take into consideration that his brother might have looked a terrorist. and that is why he shot him. lol. sigh i dub these guys retards, and that if you are dumb enough to act out a scene from a game, then you never learned anything from the real world. blaming video games is just an easy escape. and its people like this that fuel the whole take guns away from people stuff, im from oklahoma and i like hunting and all these bastards do is piss me off.

  52. rmjones
    Vote -1 Vote +1rmjones UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    This is crazy!! It’s simply a case of dumb and dumber, but well….at least it wasn’t hip hop this time.

  53. TheRooota
    Vote -1 Vote +1TheRooota AUSTRALIA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    10 Million+ console copies of cod 4 sold and how ever many million the Pc version sold,you going to have to expect one, or in this case two in 10-15 million to be absolute nutbags. I think that’s a good ratio considering.

  54. Matt
    Vote -1 Vote +1Matt Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    Hey, howabout blaming guns, or movies which are way more realistc, maybe it shouldn’t be so easy to get a pistol and blow your brothers head off. I know all my fist fights were because I like street fighter alpha 2 and if I get a prostitute and murder her it’s because I played too much GTA vice city, sorry not my fault. In fact, let’s never take responsibility for our own actions, since we’re all puppets helplessly emulating videogames irresistable influence.

  55. Rich
    Vote -1 Vote +1Rich UNITED STATES Google Chrome Windows
    says:

    Yeah…putting a gun to someones head. We’ve never seen that before in movies, tv, or video games. That CALL OF DUTY 4 sure came up with something new there.
    This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

  56. CrockOPoop
    Vote -1 Vote +1CrockOPoop UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    I am so sick and tired of people placing blame on everyone/thing else. The game had NOTHING to do with this. These guys were playing around while drugged up and the news or this article wants to blame the game. The game does not say, “Hey pelase try this in real life!”, people need to take responsibility for their actions. People suck today and don’t get it. Life is not about blaming others, it’s about knowing what you do is wrong and don’t do it. Don’t spill hot coffee on yourself, and then sue to make a buck cause you’re fat and lazy. Don’t complain that twinkies make your kid fat, don’t feed em twinkies and make them go outside and play.. Get a friggen life America….

  57. Kurzgan
    Vote -1 Vote +1Kurzgan CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    No gun = No shooting. Simple as that.

    Mind you these are probably the kinds of idiots that would watch the end of Psycho 2 and then try to hit one another in the back of the head with a shovel…so it was inevitable.

    Video games to blame? LOL! No.

  58. The Epitome of Humanity
    Vote -1 Vote +1The Epitome of Humanity UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows
    says:

    “Guns don’t kill people… Videogames kill people!”

    Hurry NRA! Put that on a bumper sticker!

  59. KingCack
    Vote -1 Vote +1KingCack UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows
    says:

    We really should Blame the parents for conceiving idiots. Maybe even blame the Birth Control companies in some far fetched link to this prime example of why some people just should have kids. LOL

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