9 Year Old Boy From Utah Accused of Murdering His Father by Copying Call of Duty: Warzone

Violent video games have often shouldered the blame for many situations that have ended in severe tragedies. From mass shootings to rivalries, video games have managed to find their way into arrest warrants and prosecution packets all over the world.

Last month, a 9-year-old boy was arrested in Utah in connection with his father's demise. The boy was arrested after the first responders arrived at the scene, finding his father unconscious and bleeding heavily from the gunshot wound. There were also signs of defensive wounds on the father’s arm and head. The prosecutors now say that the 9-year-old boy was under the influence of popular and violent games like Call of Duty.

Investigators Blame Call of Duty: Warzone For Murder

As reported by Yahoo News, a nine-year-old in Tooele, Utah, has been accused of murdering his father with a Glock handgun and hatchet. When the police arrived at the crime scene, they found the unconscious body of a 32-year-old father, with a direct gunshot wound to the head. The 9-year-old son was immediately arrested. According to reports, the father and son went to sleep early that night due to the boy’s misbehavior. Later, the victim’s child came out of the room and told others living there that his father was bleeding.  

Responders to the scene found a discharged handgun and hatchet which was covered in blood. In the arrest warrant, officers suggest that the 9-year-old boy has struggled with behavioral issues in the past and often viewed content and played games that weren’t age-appropriate. Among the chief games mentioned was Call of Duty: Warzone, which the arrest warrant says contains the same weapons that were used by the boy to murder his father. 

The arrest warrant also mentions that the information on the 9-year olds’ smartphone and tablet will be used to find out how and why specific methods and weapons were used in the murder. The investigation into the murder is currently ongoing, with it still being unclear what charges will be pressed against the 9-year-old child.