Teens kidnapped and tortured over missing PS3

by Majed Athab { May 14th 2008 at 11:30PM }

It wasn't too long ago that someone was killed over a PS3, and now we're hearing about teenagers getting kidnapped, tortured, and possibly sexually assaulted all because of a game. This tragic story starts off with two teens heading to a bus stop after school last Friday in Baltimore. At the bus stop, the two were allegedly coerced into a car by four suspects, blindfolded, taken to an unknown location, and then tortured. The suspects were looking for information on a missing PS3 system and an unnamed game.

When the two teenagers couldn't provide their kidnappers with information, they were then released and strangely given $20 for a ride to a hospital. The teens suffered from burn marks and stab wounds. One of the suspects, Christopher Johnson, has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and aggravated assault. Police are still on the search for the other three suspects.

We're really hoping not to hear another story like this anytime soon -- or ever, for that matter. It's really depressing to hear about videogames being linked with violent crimes. These recent stories, however, have nothing to do with videogames influencing/conditioning violence upon people; instead, these stories have only proven that games have played a passive role as objects of desire while these criminals and their already innate decadent behavior are the real cancer of society.

Read: Softpedia
Read: MSNBC

Tags: crime, ps3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

bill @ May 14th 2008 11:38PM

Hopefully it wont be linked to GTA IV.

Playboy X - My Avatar Actually Changed @ May 15th 2008 12:02AM

it's that darned rap music

Paul (PSN: heypaul) @ May 14th 2008 11:58PM

CJ Johnson!?!?

kevin @ May 15th 2008 1:13AM

san andreas? ha nice

Strike Man @ May 15th 2008 4:11AM

"CJ Johnson!?!?"

Carl Johnson Johnson?

hey_big_dck psn:fuliano626 @ May 15th 2008 12:21AM

sigh.................. why oh why is humanity as whole stupid sigh why couldn't i be born as goat.

PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ May 15th 2008 2:52AM

lol at feinting goats.

adolson @ May 15th 2008 12:29AM

Man, is it only PS3 users who are total rejects that pull this kind of crap? If I go over to Xbox 360 Fanboy, will I see the same sorts of things?

Da @ May 15th 2008 12:36AM

No, people don't kill for Xbox's

A_N_T_H_O_N_Y @ May 15th 2008 12:39AM

well obviously not... what would you do if you killed someone to get a game console, and then two weeks later the console RRODed?

adolson @ May 15th 2008 1:17AM

haha, true. Well, what about Wii?

Jimbo @ May 15th 2008 1:51AM

Actually, xbox360 robberies are out there in the news. Plenty of examples of stories like this for the other console. Feel free to google it; I just did. Though demand for the 360 is much lower than it is for the PS3 (the PS3 sells more, and also has a higher price, so demand is actually even greater than the sales difference directly implies) so naturally the PS3 may have more criminals seeking it.

You won't see these stories on the other site, because the other site is not attempting to subtley trash its system. These stories tell PS3 gamers nothing about their system, nothing about games, and nothing about Sony. They just reinforce a long played FUD viral line that a playstation is for minorities and poor people and a 360 is for a fraternity at a university.

You can compare the coverage of the 360fanboy to the coverage here, and it's not hard to see that this site isn't the biggest fan of the PS3. It's still fun to check out, but I wish they'd try a bit harder to do a good job.

adolson @ May 15th 2008 2:07AM

Jimbo, do you have room on your PSN list for one more? (adolson)

Gonzo @ May 15th 2008 3:19PM

I too think this has more to do with fact that these machines cost a small fortune. Not too many people got stabbed over an nes back in the day probably because it was only $99. Lay on top of that the fact that some models are now very rare and the one available in stores is the one with the least functions (and still $400), it's no wonder you're going to have some violent crime and people robbing each other.

JAH75157 @ May 15th 2008 12:43AM

finally people realize how important a ps3 is.

kevin @ May 15th 2008 12:51AM

ur an idiot

anyways this is horrible at leat they are alive and maybe these kidnappers wanted to play haze or mgs 4 idk

JAH75157 @ May 15th 2008 12:57AM

i'm an idiot because i make light of some dumb ass people? ps3fanboy is the one spreading the media hype. these stories are dumb, people get killed over expensive electronics all the time. get a sense of humor man, if you can't laugh at life you are doomed to be fat and alone in your mother's basement waiting for the next installment of final fantasy.

kevin @ May 15th 2008 1:10AM

first of all im not fat(www.myspace.com/that_northgate_kid)
second of all i live in florida so its rare to have a basement...
third i make fun of people who play final fantasy
fourth CHILL OUT

oh and by the way check out this picture http://menacingmorons.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/owned.jpg

JAH75157 @ May 15th 2008 1:13AM

THE INTERWEBZ ARE SERIOUS BUIZNESS!!!!

kevin @ May 15th 2008 1:15AM

and by that you mean? see im not a nerd or nothin wtf dude...

SQUIRTFORCE @ Jul 25th 2008 9:42PM

jesus your disgusting why don't you stop eating so much you gross ugly pig? PS I only see the one picture but its ENOUF

JAH75157 @ May 15th 2008 1:20AM

see squirtforce understands, when you grow up you will too.

SQUIRTFORCE @ May 15th 2008 1:24AM

JAH I NEVER FELT CLOSER TO ANOTHER FELLOW HUMAN BEENG

JAH75157 @ May 15th 2008 1:50AM

WE SHOULD BE BEST FRIENDS ON THE INTERWEBZ!!

SQUIRTFORCE @ May 15th 2008 1:53AM

ADD ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

PSN: AIDSPATIENT4LIFE

JAH75157 @ May 15th 2008 1:55AM

lol

psn=sn

StevenRafael @ May 15th 2008 2:01AM

Actually Kevin, you're an idiot. Just read everything you've contributed on this page alone. You can't even properly call somebody an idiot without looking more like one yourself. And you contributed nothing meaningful after your initial comment anyway.

Then there was the way you reacted to JAH's comment. You must be insecure as fuck to link up your MySpace. Here's a hint: No one gives a shit if you're fat or not. You don't have to prove anything.

By the way, your "owned.jpg" file shows up as an "image hosted by tripod" picture. That's pretty much fail right there.

charcole @ May 15th 2008 3:41PM

I think you're both idiots.

Reymo @ May 15th 2008 12:53AM

This is just stupid. People who do violent acts just for things they don't want to work for or supposedly "went missing" just aggravates the hell out of me.

pharaohabso @ May 15th 2008 1:48AM

While the PS3 may have been the catalyst for this unfortunate situation, the real reason behind this was most likely pride. In urban landscape pride is everything, one must not look weak they must always push back when pushed even if the person you push isn't the one who pushed you. Rather than a story about how video games illicit violence this is yet another sad commentary on the behaviior of the terminally deprived.

StevenRafael @ May 15th 2008 1:51AM

Possibly sexually assaulted??? At that point of the torture, the PS3 isn't even important. If the kidnappers wanted to go that far, it's hard to imagine that it's solely for information on a missing PS3.

Rell @ May 15th 2008 3:34AM

Would have to be Baltimore. Extremely sad.

G.R.T @ May 15th 2008 10:22AM

4th time trying to get this comment to post. C'mon Weblogs, Inc, hire a capable web developer, will ya?

Jimbo has it exactly right.

"These recent stories, however, have nothing to do with videogames influencing/conditioning violence upon people; instead, these stories have only proven that games have played a passive role as objects of desire while these criminals and their already innate decadent behavior are the real cancer of society."

That right there is a textbook example of hypocrisy. The problem is the PS3Fanboy bloggers are more interested in getting their comment counts higher (their income is linked to comment counts) than in the PS3 or in delivering stories of interest to us.

Like he said, these stories have nothing to do with videogames, or with the PS3, and yet he posts it.