11-year-old accused of killing his father after his Nintendo Switch was taken away
https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2026/01/17/11-year-old-accused-killing-his-father-after-his-nintendo-switch-was-taken-away/?outputType=amp
134 points · 31 comments · view on lemmy.world
31 Comments
heyWhatsay@slrpnk.net · 55 pts · 212d
Totally justified.
Jk, but so much focus on the handheld videogames, and not the handheld gun... Must be Merica
RamRabbit@lemmy.world · -13 pts · 212d
The hard parts of murdering someone you live with has always been: 1) people don't actually want to murder others; and 2) getting away with it. Clearly this kid was not concerned with either of these.
It isn't hard for anyone you live with to kill you if they make even a basic plan. The same effect can be accomplished with a knife, something readily accessible in any kitchen. The interesting part of this story is the murderous 11-year-old, which is why everyone is focusing on him.
Atomic@sh.itjust.works · 8 pts · 212d
It is FAR more difficult, both physically and emotionally to kill someone with a knife than a firearm.
There are millions, if not a billion of kids in the world. And I'm willing to bet, that over the past 100 years. Homicides committed by kids, are heavily skewed towards gunfire over stabbings. Even if we exclude child-soldiers.
I would even wager that homicides by kids with guns in the US, far outweighs homicides by kids with knives, world wide.
stephen01king@piefed.zip · 4 pts · 212d
Well, the fact that the kid went for a gun instead of a readily accessible knife is either because the gun is even more readily accessible than the knife or that guns are much preferred when it comes to performing a murder.
In the latter, the kid might've decided that the hard parts of murdering his father might not be worth dealing with if he doesn't have easy enough access to the gun in the first place. So the question goes back to why it was so easy for an 11 year old to get his hand on a gun in the first place.
frongt@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 212d
Sounds like he came across it while searching for the Switch, so yes it was more readily accessible in the moment.
tomi000@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 206d
You literally proved their point. Thank you brianwashed American.
ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip · 29 pts · 212d
Sounds like the solution here is to regulate and license people's access to Nintendo Switches!
RamRabbit@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 212d
Kid certainly won't be getting another Switch...
JasonDJ@lemmy.zip · 20 pts · 212d
Back in my day, he would've gotten the switch. Just not the one he wanted.
homes@piefed.world · 11 pts · 212d
Then you must have a strong opinion on The King’s new Tea Tax.
Guitarfun@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 212d
Lol, I'm 34 and my parents hit me with just about anything within arms reach when I was young. Getting the switch might have been the better alternative.
homes@piefed.world · 11 pts · 212d
Uh… I’m really sorry to hear that.
Guitarfun@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 212d
No worries dude, I'm glad most people have pretty much given up that style of parenting. Spanking and abuse was still pretty common in the 90s though.
Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 212d
I grew up this way too. 90's kid. My parent was proud he didn't use the kneeling on rice thing, like his mother did, but I've definitely had to pick my own switch out of the woods to get beat with.
I don't hit my kid, ever, shockingly, he is respectful and trusts me. Who knew.
homes@piefed.world · 2 pts · 212d
Maybe where you grew up, but I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and that sort of thing was unheard of. And very much considered completely and utterly unacceptable.
I’m sorry that’s not how you grew up.
Guitarfun@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 212d
Thanks man, don't worry about it. It was a long time ago and I left that place and never looked back. I think a lot of it has to do with how much money your family had. I grew up super poor and never had a stable place to live and my parents took a lot of their frustrations out on my siblings and myself. Mostly me as the oldest of five children. I know I went through more than most people, but I've traveled around the country and most people I've met had some kind of parental corporal punishment.
I have had friends who lived in middle class and upper middle class families and it was a completely different environment from what I was used to. I also grew up in a poor red state and a lot of what people believe there was completely backwards and probably still is.
cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 212d
Why the downvotes? Lol. This is accurate for that time period.
Proprietary_Blend@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 212d
Mimfenko Splish? Aw gee. Thanks Mom and Dad
Fedizen@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 212d
Not much in the article. Surely there's more going on here, possibly an unsecured firearm?
Why is the story not about an 11yo getting access to a gun?
Melobol@lemmy.ml · 21 pts · 212d
I'm just pointing out that an 11 year old is not thinking as an adult. Fairness and morality starts to clean up around 8. But it all depends on what kind of environment they have.
11 is still in mid/early development.
I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 212d
A different article I read earlier (sorry, it's too early and I'm too lazy to go looking for it) painted this in a slightly different light btw.
The kid didn't kill his dad because he was mad he got his Switch taken away. He got his Switch taken away, snuck into his parents room to go looking for it, found the gun instead, and started playing with it. Then he accidentally shot his dad with it.
That is a MUCH different story than "psychopathic child murders his father over a video game". But hey, anything to avoid a headline that insinuates guns themselves are the problem.
frongt@lemmy.zip · 7 pts · 212d
Per other reports, he found the key, took the key to the safe, took the gun, loaded it, then aimed and fired it. Hard to do all that by accident.
RamRabbit@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 212d
I feel particularly bad for the mother (and any siblings). She lost a husband and a child this day.
CircaV@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 212d
Great country you have there America
Pacattack57@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 212d
Either the dad was a prick or the kid is a psychopath that belongs in a mental institution.
Lembot_0006@programming.dev · 16 pts · 212d
Or the accusation is wrong, or circumstances are unknown, or maybe even something else :)
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 212d
I think a little bit of both.
NotSteve_@piefed.ca · 3 pts · 212d
I feel like there must have been something else going on
AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space · 3 pts · 212d
This must be the resistance to tyranny the NRA go on about
Railcar8095@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 212d
"Resistance to tyranny? We meant resistance to trannies"
*NRA and MAGA
Atomic@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 212d
Why would you Jesse? The only thing that would be more disturbing than a kid shooting their parent, is if you as an outsider expected it might happen.