Politicians blame Call of Duty and Fortnite for recent US mass shootings

In the wake of two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio on August 3 and 4, politicians are blaming video games like Fortnite and Call of Duty for the violence.

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Within a 24 hour period, two mass shootings took place in El Paso, Texas on the morning of August 3, and in the early hours of August 4 in Dayton, Ohio.

As is usually the case with these types of tragedies, politicians quickly took to major news outlets to blame the deadly violence on video games such as Fortnite and Call of Duty.

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Politicians – “Video games are to blame!”

Emotions ran high as Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick appeared on FOX News and demanded federal intervention into video games.

“And how long are we going to, for example, ignore it at the federal level particularly, where they can do something about the video game industry? In this manifesto that we believe to be from the shooter, he talks about his super-soldier fantasy on Call of Duty,” he stated.

Are games like Fortnite and Call of Duty to blame?

While the politician admitted that there were studies that show that games don’t increase violence, he then stated: “What’s changed in this country? We’ve always had guns, we’ve always had evil. And I see a video game industry, that teaches young people to kill”.

Esports analyst Rod ‘Slasher’ Breslau tweeted out the clip, and said: “Republican Texas Lieutenant Governor @DanPatrick is calling for federal government intervention into the video game industry, citing the Call of Duty reference from the terrorist’s manifesto. he also wants you to pray more in school. Dan Patrick is religious boomer personified.”

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The network also interviewed former FBI agent Maureen O’ Connell on their channel, who said: “If I were a betting man, I’d say he probably logged 6-8 hours a day playing one of those, you know Fortnite, or one of those video games where you’re doing nothing but dehumanizing people by blowing their heads off, one after another, after another.” 

Slasher, again, tweeted the video, and argued: “Fox News, others in the media, and politicians are already blaming specifically video games and FPS games including FORTNITE of all things for yet another awful multiple mass shootings here in America, in Dayton and El Paso. video game guns don’t kill people, real guns do.”

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FOX also had an interview with GOP House minority leader Kevin McCarthy who said that he felt that video games “dehumanize” people and is a problem for the future. 

“The idea of these video games that dehumanize individuals, and have a game of shooting individuals, I’ve always felt that was a problem for future generations,” he said.

(Timestamp of 3:10 for mobile viewers.)

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People were angry at the remarks

Video game fans took to social media to express their anger at the coverage, as many were upset at those blaming video games for the violence.  

Popular Twitch streamer Ben ‘DrLupo‘ Lupo tweeted: “Dear mainstream media. The only thing desensitizing a majority of the US to gun violence is all the gun violence. Video games haven’t influenced me, or anyone else, to go out and kill someone. Please stop lying. This is exhausting. We need actual change. Love, -Lupo”

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Former Call of Duty caster Jack ‘CouRage‘ Dunlop weighed in on the situation writing: “Shocked. Disgusted. Horrified. The second amendment was written when a gun took a minute to reload for one shot. I’m humiliated in myself for not taking action in the past. I’m going to do my research and vote for the candidates who will make the change we so desperately need.”

The tragic incidents in Texas and Ohio saw at least 29 lives taken and 53 people seriously injured.