View Full Version : 15 year odl set on fire for $40 videogame debt
thezombiemessia
14-10-09, 19:02
http://kotaku.com/5381101/15-yr+old-set-on-fire-started-over-video-game-debt
Florida teenager Michael Brewer was intentionally set on fire at a Deerfield Beach, Florida apartment complex and suffered second-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. Five youths from his school are in police custody.
According to police, Brewer owed one of the suspects US$40 for a video game. This unpaid video game debt apparently led the suspect to steal the victim's father's bicycle, reports CNN.
Brewer reported that the bicycle was stolen, leading to the suspect's arrest. The suspect was released from a detention center earlier this week on Monday morning.
The suspect and the victim did not attend school on Monday.
On Tuesday, Brewer was waiting for friends at an apartment complex when he was approached by the suspect. According to eye-witness reports and from what the juveniles have told authorities, the suspect screamed, "He's [Brewer] a snitch, he's a snitch" and "pour it on him." Another suspect then threw what's believed to be rubbing alcohol on Brewer, before setting the victim ablaze with a lighter.
"A couple of them last night were laughing about it," said sheriff's Sgt. Steve Feeley. "One of them arrested today seems genuinely sorry about it."
One witness told CNN affiliate WPLG, "I saw a kid throwing something at the other kid, and next thing you know, the kid was on fire. He was up in fire."
According to WPLG, an apartment resident extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher, and the teenager jumped into the complex's swimming pool.
"In my 31 years — I always say, 'it's the most heinous crime I've ever seen,'" Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti said. "This one fits in that category. The fact that a person would intentionally ignite another child on fire — it's indescribable."
Brewer is expected to remain in the hospital for the next five months to recover from his burns.
Lets be clear that $40 is around-about £20.
This kid has had his life ruined for £20.
What's the bet that VideoGames will get the blame from somebody?
Kieron Baird
14-10-09, 19:13
Exactly what I was thinking TZM, before I seen your comment, they will blame video games.
That sick boy would have done this to someone sooner or later regardless of the reason. They never blame the parents, the school, the neighbours, always "video games". Well I just hope the sick, disturbed teenagers go down for it and don't get off with, "too young to understand what they did".
More important than that is, I hope Michael Brewer who suffered burns makes a recovery, both mentally and physically.
CaptainCortez
14-10-09, 19:19
That's absolutely disgraceful. The boy should have made sure he wasn getting the game from a dodgey lot of people I guess, but nobody ould have known theyd resort to that level of violence.
Surely stealing a bike in return is enough...............not setting the kid on fire as well.
Absolutely out of order. They wouldn't like it if it happened to them, so have no right in laughing about it. Hypocrites.
To be honest, I don't know what to say. Yes it's digusting and disgraceful, but I can't really put my thoughts into words at the moment.
Ludicrous and sickening.
They're effectively stuck in a spiral now, they go to jail or one specifically for "them", and that would make them hardened and more violent in behaviour like this...
Its all too common, unfortunately, they get in groups and cause trouble because they are both confident and have their victim outmanned, setting that poor kid on fire was just sadistic, and I sure as hell hope they get everything thats coming to them.
I'm trying to look up the name of this game, if I can, chances are it'll get the blame by the media.
chances are it'll get the blame by the media.
Especially if it's an M+ and/or violent.
What's the bet that VideoGames will get the blame from somebody?
Sure they will be blamed.
Last week in a Portuguese TV channel there was a news about the existence of gangs in a certain city, and they said clearly that the gangs were a product of the GTA games...
My thinking: Yeah, in fact there were no gangs anywhere in the world before someone created them for GTA... :rolleyes:
It's such a shame things always get linked to videogames >>; The kid had his life ruined because he BORROWED 40 BUCKS, not because he borrowed 40 bucks TO BUY A VIDEOGAME D: unfortunately, most people reading this will probably blame it on the videogame.
Does it say what video game it was?
The Possessed
15-10-09, 20:01
I don't really think it's realistic to put this case down just for videogames. If you were to do so then naive would be a weak word compared to what I'd like to use.
Parenting, environment, social circles, etc, etc. are more what you look for to figure out where these kids went wrong. Not to say it's immediately down to one of these but it's more likely. The parents we're brought up by, our teachers, the people we associate with, the people who victimise us or the people who builds us up; all of these have factors on what we learn in life and help to make us who we are.
deadmensboots
16-10-09, 16:20
I don't really think it's realistic to put this case down just for videogames. If you were to do so then naive would be a weak word compared to what I'd like to use.
Parenting, environment, social circles, etc, etc. are more what you look for to figure out where these kids went wrong. Not to say it's immediately down to one of these but it's more likely. The parents we're brought up by, our teachers, the people we associate with, the people who victimise us or the people who builds us up; all of these have factors on what we learn in life and help to make us who we are.
This.
It is completely inconsequential what the item was, as the actions of the child would have inevitably been the same. This is the problem with gamers: the moment a videogame is mentioned within a news article people immediately discuss the effect video games have upon the minds of our youth. The headline could have quite easily read "A young man was stabbed outside a videogame store" and failed to mention the fact it was at 4am in the morning and he was simply walking down the street when accosted. ;)
thezombiemessia
16-10-09, 17:43
This.
It is completely inconsequential what the item was, as the actions of the child would have inevitably been the same. This is the problem with gamers: the moment a videogame is mentioned within a news article people immediately discuss the effect video games have upon the minds of our youth. The headline could have quite easily read "A young man was stabbed outside a videogame store" and failed to mention the fact it was at 4am in the morning and he was simply walking down the street when accosted. ;)
We aren't making a point of saying that the game is clearly to blame or anything.
The question is, who WON'T ignore the videogame aspect?
VideoGames get the blame on such a regular basis, it has become the norm to question when a game is mentioned within the article...
VideoGames get the blame on such a regular basis, it has become the norm to question when a game is mentioned within the article...
And we all know when Video Games are involved, the incident is 10 times more serious.
The Possessed
16-10-09, 20:14
At the end of the day the media can be as foolish as they wish (They usually are), but it's up to people on how easily they wish to be led by this "information". Videogames won't be made any less credible as a form of entertainment from the audience that matters though (That audience being those who buy videogames).
In other words, sod 'em.
i agree with everyone before me. it's not the videogames fault.
thank god the person was there with a fire extinguisher, otherwise it could of been much worse.
though the media has a lot of uninformed accusations about how video games ruin people's lives, the fact is, it will not affect anybody.
video game sales are up and even families now-a-days are buying game consoles (wii). so no matter how bad they make it seem, video games do more good than bad, and are more importantly...fun. the media can say all they want but i'll keep playing video games for years to come.