Posted on 02/22/2013 5:05:01 AM PST by Colonel Kangaroo
TUSTIN, California The shooter who went on a violent rampage in California earlier this week has been described by authorities as a "loner" and a "gamer," CBS LA reports. The Orange Country sheriff's department has been investigating 20-year-old suspect Ali Syed since he allegedly shot five people, three fatally, before turning the gun on himself.
Violent video games and mass violence: A complex link "He spent a lot of time alone in his room playing video games," said Orange County Sheriff's department spokesman Jim Amormino.
There is still no known motive in the case and law enforcement officials are now trying to determine whether Syed, an unemployed part-time college student, was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The first victim in Tuesday's shooting spree was identified as 20-year-old Courtney Aoki. She was shot multiple times around 4:30 a.m. in Syed's home. The relationship between Aoki and Syed is still unknown.
After allegedly killing Aoki, Syed fled the home he shared with his parents in an SUV.
His mother, Sarwat Syed, called 911 after hearing shots downstairs from her third floor bedroom.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department released a recording of that phone call in which a frantic Sarwat told the dispatcher that someone was in the house.
CBS News/ February 21, 2013, 3:56 PM Authorities: LA freeway shooting suspect a "loner" and "gamer" 1Comment / 3Shares / 2Tweets / Stumble / Email More + .. This undated image provided by the Tustin Police Department shows Ali Syed, a suspect in a series of shootings Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 in southern California. / AP Photo/Tustin Police Dept. TUSTIN, California The shooter who went on a violent rampage in California earlier this week has been described by authorities as a "loner" and a "gamer," CBS LA reports. The Orange Country sheriff's department has been investigating 20-year-old suspect Ali Syed since he allegedly shot five people, three fatally, before turning the gun on himself.
Violent video games and mass violence: A complex link "He spent a lot of time alone in his room playing video games," said Orange County Sheriff's department spokesman Jim Amormino.
There is still no known motive in the case and law enforcement officials are now trying to determine whether Syed, an unemployed part-time college student, was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The first victim in Tuesday's shooting spree was identified as 20-year-old Courtney Aoki. She was shot multiple times around 4:30 a.m. in Syed's home. The relationship between Aoki and Syed is still unknown.
After allegedly killing Aoki, Syed fled the home he shared with his parents in an SUV.
His mother, Sarwat Syed, called 911 after hearing shots downstairs from her third floor bedroom.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department released a recording of that phone call in which a frantic Sarwat told the dispatcher that someone was in the house.
Los Angeles Freeway Shooting Update: New details emerge about rampage Los Angeles freeway shooter identified as 20-year-old student Ali Syed
Syed reportedly carjacked a number of vehicles across the cities of Orange, Tustin and Villa Park after he left his parents' home.
Authorities said he shot and killed two people and injured at least three more before turning the gun on himself. Sheriff's department spokesman Jim Amormino said an autopsy confirmed Syed died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The gun belonged to Syed and was purchased by his father a year ago.
Syed's family is heartbroken by the situation, according to family attorney Vincent John LaBarbera Jr.
"Their thoughts and prayers go out to the families of all the victims," he said. "They will continue to assist authorities in the investigation as they themselves try to make sense of this tragedy. The Syed family has much to overcome in the months ahead and we ask that you respect their privacy at this time of tremendous sorrow."
Earlier this week, another grisly crime was linked to gaming when authorities told CBS News correspondent Bob Orr they believe Adam Lanza may have been acting out fantasies from a video shooting game when he killed 26 people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School last December.
At our age, even the most watered-down game is an adventure.
OMG, I just had a great idea.
“Virgin Ammo” in 72 round boxes.
Video games my ass! I’ve been playing those types of video games since I was in my 40s and now in my 60s I still play them, including Call of Duty. What a bunch of crap.
Grand Theft Auto - Texas!
(You will learn manners, boy, or you will be slapped down!)
EVE Online
Battlefield 3
Half Life
GTA IV
Minecraft
World of Warcraft
Assassin’s Creed
Tropico
Civilization
Team Fortress 2
Splinter Cell
Portal
Mass Effect
Torchlight
Starcraft
Diablo
I’ve played and/or regularly play every single on of these games and have been an avid follower of franchises for over 20 years. I started “gaming” on an Atari 2600 when I 5 and never looked back.
No where and at no time in my 33 years on this planet have I ever once thought about carrying out any act or event in any game I’ve played with the exception of dressing up as a Rogue for the Renaissance Festival, but even that involved no violence or anti-social behavior.
Saying that video games cause people to become homicidal is tantamount to saying that Monopoly makes everyone greedy, Clue makes everyone want to cover up a murder, or Risk makes everyone want to conquer the planet.
Psychologically unstable kids with no social lives who are bullied, hopped up on Ritalin or Lexapro or some other psych med, who come from broken homes with absent parents are the culprits in all of these massacres. We should be looking at the pharmaceutical industry as part of the problem, and we need to stop with this pussification of America, esp. boys.
The militant feminist movement has FAILED in its stated goals and has turned society into a heap of crap. Boys are not allowed to be boys anymore, and that includes climbing trees, playing cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, team sports, etc.
Like you said, wastedyears, boys today are more likely to be arrested for doing something we used to do when we were kids. When I was a pre-teen, we used to climb through the rafters of all the houses being built in my neighborhood. The cops would show up, we’d hide, we’d run. There was fear of having our asses reddened by our parents if we got caught. Nowadays, parents think they can just “talk” to their kids. Try to “reason with them.” Show me a reasonable 10 year old, and I might be inclined to agree.
“Actually, based on his name, there’s a good chance he was Hindu, not Muslim.”
Total Bullshit.
Every single other “Ali Syed” on the internet I’ve seen, and there are quite a few, are vocal Muslims.
Did YOU bother to look?
Didn’t think so.
poor Jihad gets no credit
Ali, huh?
Maybe he was frustrated by all the hackers allowed in Modern Warfare 2 and 3.
Ali Syed, but no mention of the Jihad angle? Al’s Jizz will praise him for offing Infidels...
Hey. can I copyright Al’s Jizz on FR?
That's a damn good point, Colonel.
Think you missed pointing out a bigger culprit: gov’t and taxes.
It wasn’t that long ago that one person in the household could make a living, pay the bills and still allow a good bit left over for living a good life. Mixed in, was the other parent, who was able to take up the maintenance of the household and watch/teach their children.
No more. These days, couples have kids and ship them off to daycare and schools without having the time; let alone funds, to properly raise their own.
“Risk makes everyone want to conquer the planet.”
I seem to remember Risk being marketed that way. ;)
No, it would be the Diplomacy players that we have to worry about. :)
Okay, Sparky, far be it from me to calm down that jerking knee of yours, but did you happen to notice his mother’s name?
And I might point out that I said “good chance,” not an absolute. For one thing, Muslim shooters usually skip the video game phase.
But since you’re so dead sure, please provide your documentation on this guy. Otherwise, cutting someone a little slack for not jumping at the chance to foam at the mouth might be in order. I have no fondness for Islam, or Hinduism for that matter, but I also try to avoid making myself look like an irrational reactionary by jumping to conclusions when we kind of need all the credibility we can muster if we’re going to alert our fellow countrymen to the very real danger Islam in our midst presents.
Battlefield 3 and Diplomacy...
You are my kind of people.
I haven’t played Diplomacy for years. Hard to find a good group to get together more than once...and stay friends...
BF3. The only game I have ever really played (after BF and BF2). I just like the series. My last 2 pcs have been built to play the games. Oh, and so I can learn other nerd stuff at home...yes dear... ;)
The highlighted portion is the most important part to your comment. How do you define "a good life?" Is it having a house? A car for each adult? Enough money to eat out at a restaurant a few times a week? How about a boat? Yearly vacations? A motorcycle?
The problem isn't government or taxes, at least not the overwhelming part of the problem. The problem, as I see it, is the excessive value we place on "things."
Materialism was no where near as crazy as it is today. People value themselves based on their possessions and not their value as people or a family. As a result, we've lost what's truly important: God and family.
My wife and I could very easily live on just my salary, but since we don't have kids and are having trouble conceiving, it might not be necessary for us to be concerned with a home life. If kids come around, the conversation will happen, but until then, we're just stockpiling cash for any eventuality.
People no longer view income or wealth as savings. They view it as "things."
Battlefield is the only series in which EA has kept my interest. My uncle is a big BF3 fan and player, and I’ve used it as a bonding tool between him and me and my brother as well. It teaches teamwork, collaboration, squad balancing, focus, and tactical understanding. All of those things are positives unless cast in the light of a massacre or shooting. So basically it’s okay for the military and law enforcement, but it’s not okay for civilians.
As far as Civilization (I assume you meant Civ not Diplomacy?), I LOVE turn-based strategy games. Sim City, Civilization, Tropico: anything that forces me to think for long-term strategy is fun and rewarding.
First person shooters like Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell are just guilty pleasures for me.
The MSM has people they hate - and people they protect. They hate conservatives, people who use the internet, Christians, those who believe in traditional marriage - in short - they hate Freepers...and conservatives.
The MSM protects Muslims (violent or not), blacks, minorities, welfare recipients, liberals, elites, radical feminist, etc... in short - Democrats.
I’ve been playing Dust 514 for a while now, got on when the builds would cause the system to freeze every two or three games.
BF3 is crap really, it’s like Call of Duty: Vehicle Edition. Noobs destroy me when I’m in a tank, which is terrible because I know how to use them.
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