U.S. senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) has responded to questions from GameSpot as part of a Google hangout on the issue of video game violence and their potential role in mass shootings.
Murphy, whose state of Connecticut witnessed a horrific tragedy at the Sandy Hook elementary school in December, had spoken of the effect violent games could have on mentally ill players, or players with a predilection to violence. GameSpot asked him about his comments on video games, made in January.
"Obviously, this is a very sensitive issue in Connecticut. Newtown is still in crisis," Murphy said.
"Not enough healing going on there in the wake of the murder of 26 children and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. And you know, what we know are the facts about that crime. What we know is that this young man, deeply mentally ill walking the school with an assault weapon armed with 30-round magazines. What we know is that he was very, very severely mentally ill; that his mother had been trying to get him help for years. And what we also know, is that he spent a lot of time playing violent video games."
Reports had suggested that the shooter at the elementary school was a "deranged gamer", who had sought to "outscore" previous mass murderers and that he took his own life in the end so he wouldn't have to give away the "points."
Murphy admitted that there is no peer-reviewed scientific data that shows a strong correlation between playing violent video games and carrying out such horrific acts, and said he supports more research into the issue.
"What we admittedly don't have...is any peer-reviewed studies or research that tell us that there is a definitive link between exposure to violent video games and violence," Murphy said.
"What researchers will tell you, is that if you already have a severe mental illness, and a predilection to violence, perhaps the video game exposure can put you over the edge. But in and of itself, there is no research showing that there's a link."
Read more from Senator Murphy at GameSpot.
"Obviously, this is a very sensitive issue in Connecticut. Newtown is still in crisis," Murphy said.
"Not enough healing going on there in the wake of the murder of 26 children and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. And you know, what we know are the facts about that crime. What we know is that this young man, deeply mentally ill walking the school with an assault weapon armed with 30-round magazines. What we know is that he was very, very severely mentally ill; that his mother had been trying to get him help for years. And what we also know, is that he spent a lot of time playing violent video games."
Reports had suggested that the shooter at the elementary school was a "deranged gamer", who had sought to "outscore" previous mass murderers and that he took his own life in the end so he wouldn't have to give away the "points."
Murphy admitted that there is no peer-reviewed scientific data that shows a strong correlation between playing violent video games and carrying out such horrific acts, and said he supports more research into the issue.
"What we admittedly don't have...is any peer-reviewed studies or research that tell us that there is a definitive link between exposure to violent video games and violence," Murphy said.
"What researchers will tell you, is that if you already have a severe mental illness, and a predilection to violence, perhaps the video game exposure can put you over the edge. But in and of itself, there is no research showing that there's a link."
Read more from Senator Murphy at GameSpot.
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