A 17-year-old male shot his parents - killing his mother and wounding his father - all because they took Halo 3 away from him.Thanks to this kid, you can now chalk another one up for politicians wanting to see the end of video games.Way to go, buddy.That’s probably a good summation of gamers worldwide after hearing Daniel Petric’s deadly retaliation. There’s nothing more sickening than violence related to games, especially sickening to those who depend on the medium as a source of income. Is this kid really a byproduct of electronic violence, or suffering the after-effects of a violent household? The vicious scenario, laid out by prosecutors during Monday’s trial, paints a familiar scene yanked from any crime drama.According to the prosecutors, Daniel sneaked out of his bedroom back in September 2007, and later snuck back in with a tasty, just-purchased retail copy of Halo 3. Banned from playing games of this nature, Daniel was forced to hand over the game once caught by his parents. Thus his father, Mark Petric, a minister at New Life Assembly of God in Wellington, took the copy of Halo 3 and locked it away in a lockbox located in his closet (which incidentally was the same place he kept a 9mm handgun tucked away).A month later, Daniel broke into the lockbox and retrieved both the Halo 3 game and the 9mm handgun. Once both items were in hand, Daniel went downstairs and approached his parents as they lounged on the couch. He asked them to close their eyes, claiming the he had a "surprise." Mark Petric, 45, testified that he was actually expecting a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, that pleasant surprise turned out to be a shot in the head, killing the mother and "gravely" wounding the father. Daniel immediately place the gun in his father’s hand, saying "Hey Dad, here’s your gun. Take it."Mark, still alive, blood pouring from his bullet wound, his head numb, realized that his wife was dead. He believes that he is still alive because of his older daughter and son-in-law arriving at the house to watch an Indians game."You guys shouldn’t come in," he heard Daniel tell the couple outside. "Mom and Dad had a big argument."Like some cue from a horror movie, Heidi and Andrew both said that they heard moans coming from inside the house, perhaps even calling out their names. After bursting into the house and investigating, they found the wounded father and dead mother. In response, Daniel picked up the gun, poised to kill, however Andrew managed to seize the weapon from the boy before any additional slayings occurred. Daniel fled in the family van, but was captured by police shortly thereafter, Halo 3 sitting in the front seat like some possessed Book of the Dead.Now on trial, Daniel faces charges of murder and attempted murder. He is being tried without a jury before Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge. Daniel’s lawyer commented that the boy was under heavy stress at the time of the incident, as a snowboarding accident left the teen with a severe staph infection. The accident also caused severe spinal damage, and the slightest injury could leave him paralyzed as a result (but he can climb out a window and hike all the way to a retail store to purchase Halo 3). Daniel became familiar with the Halo franchise while recuperating for a year, lying around watching television and playing games. His parents eventually banned games like Halo 3, saying that they are too violent.Lawyers prosecuting the case do not wish to seek the death penalty, and surprisingly enough, the boy’s family wants him home. In the year Daniel has been in custody, both father and son have mended bridges, and the family actually wants Daniel to come back home."You’re my son," Mark Petric said after Daniel apologized for what he had done. "You’re my boy."
Daniel immediately place the gun in his father’s hand, saying "Hey Dad, here’s your gun. Take it.""You guys shouldn’t come in," he heard Daniel tell the couple outside. "Mom and Dad had a big argument."
By the way, why would the MINISTER of a dad lock the game game away in the SAME PLACE as his GUN??Then again, why does a minister HAVE a gun to begin with??
*mumbles incoherently about people always feel they know about how a minister/christian's should live*
Quote from: Cross on December 19, 2008, 07:27:48 AM*mumbles incoherently about people always feel they know about how a minister/christian's should live*sounds like we have a pastor's son in the house*snickers...*
Come on Cross...you have to admit...a pastor having a gun does raise some eyebrows.All Sax did was ask a question. There was nothing negative (or positive for that matter) implied there.
OH Cross, soooo glad you decided to defend the gun toting minister.If you wish to argue the point i would be moreeee than happy to discuss both america's gun happiness alongside why a minister "of the lord" would keep a gun at home.But i believe there is a really awesome saying that goes something like, What Would Jesus Do.It roxx.
....ironic advice coming from me here, but if you buy a gun for the purpose of protecting your family, what's the point? There is just so much to write off before you're actually ready to draw. Of course, you can just always hide the loaded gun under your pillow as you sleep, but that'll just increase the chances of you blasting little Billy to smithereens when he runs in scared because he had a nigthmare.
That i admit it would raise an eye brow but GEEEEEEEEZ everyone gets all "let's get the Christian's" when they do something wrong
I think it's been stated, time and time again, that if you keep a gun at home, there's a bigger chance a family member will get shot rather than a bandit or intruder in the house.Either way, it's a bit of an oxymoron to have one to begin with, because if you need one, you'll need to lock it away. And if a bandit does enter your house and you need to pull it out now for NOW, what're you going to do?Find out where you hid it, fumble with some keys (making some noise in the process), unlock the case, get the gun. That is, of course, providing:a) The bandit's not already holding you at gunpoint;b) The bandit didn't get to the gun before you did;c) The gun's already loaded (any smart gun owner usually leaves it UNloaded when idle)....ironic advice coming from me here, but if you buy a gun for the purpose of protecting your family, what's the point? There is just so much to write off before you're actually ready to draw. Of course, you can just always hide the loaded gun under your pillow as you sleep, but that'll just increase the chances of you blasting little Billy to smithereens when he runs in scared because he had a nigthmare.
Quote from: New_Era_Outlaw on December 19, 2008, 08:17:29 AM....ironic advice coming from me here, but if you buy a gun for the purpose of protecting your family, what's the point? There is just so much to write off before you're actually ready to draw. Of course, you can just always hide the loaded gun under your pillow as you sleep, but that'll just increase the chances of you blasting little Billy to smithereens when he runs in scared because he had a nigthmare.Billy should know his placeMommy and daddy could be doing the making baby thing
wrt the pastor thing.he is a man, a human being, just like any of you. And he will try his best to ensure his family's safety and their confidence in it.If he thinks that a gun is a necessity to protect his family, then let him be, he is fortunate enough to live in a country where there is a right to bear firearms and rights that also accompany the firearm's usage, his profession/life style is irrelevant.I am not a Christian.
