Because the saying goes, play silly video games, win silly prizes, however some are deciding to take this mantra to a complete new stage of dim-wittedness. As somebody who has by no means performed Fortnite or dominoes, maybe I simply don’t perceive the stakes or uncooked emotion concerned, or perhaps heavy drug utilization and listening to voices in your head simply don’t combine properly with firearms. Both manner, an unrelated pair of clown sneakers in Pennsylvania and Missouri, who I’d have gladly given Darwin awards to, determined their catharsis would come by means of the taking of different individuals’s lives as a substitute.
Our first cease is in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, the place a person is dealing with homicide costs for allegedly taking pictures and killing his pal throughout an argument whereas taking part in Fortnite. Let me prevent a while in the event you’re like me and should look that up. It’s a online game.
The incident occurred on Nov. 8 at round 3:27 a.m., inside a house on Westhorpe Lane. Court docket paperwork clarify that 21-year-old Holden Hoffsis referred to as 911 to say he “by chance shot his pal within the chest,” however what would observe is a scene and a proof that merely don’t make sense.
Hoffsis reportedly acknowledged that he loaded the firearm, which he repeatedly saved close to him for cover, however believed the chamber was empty. The suspect and his pal, Daniel Grey, had been consuming onerous cider and utilizing cocaine all through the night when, after dropping a spherical of Fortnite, Grey “yelled at him and received in his face,” court docket paperwork allege. Authorities say that’s when Hoffsis stood up and fired the gun he beforehand mentioned he thought was unchambered into his pal’s chest earlier than calling 911. Positive, that feels like an accident…
Investigators discovered jars of marijuana and packaging supplies within the house, which led authorities to consider Hoffsis supposed to distribute as properly.
“This case is one other unhappy instance of how the combination of medicine and weapons results in violence and dying,” mentioned Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe, Chester County District Lawyer.
Hoffsis is charged with homicide and associated offenses and is being held on the Chester County Jail with out bail.
The next night, in one other gaming-related tragedy, one other man was murdered inside a Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, house whereas taking part in dominoes.
Upon arriving on the house simply after 6 p.m. on experiences of a taking pictures, officers discovered 27-year-old Marcus Oldham unresponsive at a desk affected by gunshot wounds.
In line with witnesses, Malik Johnson, of North Carolina, had pushed to Kansas Metropolis on the day of the killing. Johnson sat on a window sill close to a desk the place Oldham performed dominoes, with out argument or hostility between the 2 males. At one level, Oldham yelled “domino,” indicating he had received, when moments later two gunshots rang out as witnesses noticed Johnson holding a revolver pointed at Oldham, inflicting one witness to run and name the police.
A second witness indicated to authorities that they’d spoken with Johnson earlier and he requested in the event that they thought he was loopy, explaining that his mom and grandmother had described him in that method. When detectives later contacted an affiliate of Johnson’s from North Carolina, the girl instructed them Johnson had grown extra paranoid, saying he had been listening to voices in latest months and claiming he was being watched and that folks have been making an attempt to get him.
Johnson is charged in Jackson County Court docket with second-degree homicide and armed legal motion.
Whereas suspects and victims in these incidents are largely completely different from each other, each present a typical thread, poor decision-making. Positive, one was influenced by alcohol and cocaine, and the opposite by what appears to be psychological sickness, however in both case firearms shouldn’t have been concerned. I wish to level out, nevertheless, that an enraged or sick particular person bent on taking a life goes to do what they will do, gun or no gun. The one factor we will do as a society is to teach ourselves, discover higher methods to establish these affected by any sickness which will trigger them to hurt themselves or others, and act responsibly and with compassion whereas protecting a vigilant eye on our security and people round us…particularly, it appears, when taking part in video games.
