Last June, 19-year-old David Rowntree grabbed a sawed-off shotgun and went on a two-day criminal rampage, stealing two cars and committing multiple burglaries. Now Rowntree tells a Melbourne court that he felt like a computer game hero.
Rowntree’s 2010 rampage was impressive, to say the least. The young man forced a lockdown around the Melbourne Cricket Grounds sports precinct after being spotted in the area with a shotgun. He committed multiple aggravated burglaries, at least one armed robbery, and later led police on a car chase that caused the judge at the Melbourne court to compare him to O.J. Simpson, which is never a good thing.
Rowntree evaded police in the chase, only to be captured later in a residential area north of Melbourne.
Now 20 years old, Rowntree read a letter before the court in Melbourne yesterday, explaining that he had been drinking prior to the rampage and felt like a hero in a computer game.
I suppose we can all assume which computer game he was referring to.
Rowntree told the court he felt “invincible” at the time. Now he feels his actions were “stupid”.
So he’s learned something. Rowntree has pleaded guilty to 14 charges and is awaiting sentencing.
Did a computer game cause this rampage? Probably not. Rowntree had recently been released on parole in March, after being incarcerated for burning down a house to get rid of fingerprints left during a burglary.
MCG gunman recalls ‘computer game’ rampage [ABC News Australia]
[Picture via Perth Now]
anon
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 10:00 AMSee! As soon as we start banning violent games things like this happen! Obviously we need more violent games! Ban the G-PG rating and bring in R-X!
f4cti0n
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 10:25 AMVideo games are just an easy scapegoat. Madness. Some people are just chemically imbalanced!
Effluvium Boy
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 10:37 AMWonder what would’ve happened if he’d been playing Katamari..?
xNyTROx
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 10:45 AMIt’s idiots like this which gives violent video games a bad reputation.
Reoh
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 11:08 AMLet me clarify things for you. Hero’s help people, you’re a douchebag.
VGP
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 11:15 AMHmmm … wear gloves or burn down a house?
Play GTA and not go to jail or go on a rampage?
weresmurf
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 11:24 AMWonder how long it took his lawyer to come up with that defense… wonder if his lawyer also said he felt like Drew Barrymore from Firestarter when he torched that house?
Fenixius
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 11:59 AMI really really wish people who are being accused/convicted of crimes wouldn’t say anything about videogames…
But then, I can’t really expect the sort of person who would commit a crime to be socially conscious, can I?
*sigh*
Alastair
Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 12:19 PMNo. I’m sure none of us have ever committed a crime. It’s these few, very rare cases that give video games a bad reputation….seriously? Haha!
v4next
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:00 PMGet off it mate, face it, you are a criminal! The old “the devil made me do it” doesnt work anymore..
Dan
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:01 PMGreat…
It’s obvious that he has mental issues and was full of ‘Dutch Courage’.
I’m sure the media will only focus on the game comment.
Daniel Goddy
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:10 PMThis is exactly what we did not need.
Repneiras
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:32 PMI have a great idea. Let’s get an anti-R18+ group to blame the video games for this rampage, instead of the alcohol.
/sarcasm
Aidan Dullard
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:37 PMI remember this…
and how silly.
Jared Mericka
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:38 PMIf he said it made him feel like a movie hero, nobody would think anything of it. Video games are just the demon that the older generation didn’t grow up with and this sort of thing seeming like something to take seriously is something that will die out with their generation.
Cav
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 1:26 PMMike, can you take this article down? It’s not helping our plight to get Australia an R18+ rating.
Let’s NOT promote it.
Good work for Aussie gamers mate, good work. Thanks heaps
Cameron Campbell
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 1:45 PMA letter now doubt written by his lawyer going “Look, read this in court, we will make people think a video game caused it and most of the anger from people will be directed towards games”
BRB, going to get a drink, check the mail and set the stove on fire….holy crap I feel like a computer game character
SupremeBeans
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 4:50 PMI swear games are becoming a multi-use twinkie defense.
brad
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 6:23 PManyone wanna play viva pinata and go on a rampage in my yard?
i have cookies and lemonade ;)
Wayno@War
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 1:37 AMGood thing he didn’t kill anybody though. Guess he doesn’t know the weapon cheats for Fuck Up Big Time In Real Life…
Thanks asshole.
Set yourself on fire next time. It’ll be like your a real video game hero.
Lauren
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 2:18 PMSo wait, only NOW is he saying this crap? Does anyone else find this fishy as hell? My inner conspiracy theorist nut is telling me that he’s been paid off for ammo against the upcoming R-rating discussions.