I guess I didn’t get the memo that was handed out to investigative journalists a few years ago that dictates, “Whenever a nutjob shoots a bunch of people, make sure to ominously allude to the fact that said nutjob played videogames.” Case in point: The Oregonian, which, to their credit, waits a full eight paragraphs into this blurry profile to detail which games were played by 24-year-old Erik Salvador Ayala, who, on Saturday night, killed two and wounded seven in downtown Portland before shooting himself in the head.

One of the things that brought [Ayala] joy was playing video games such as Resistance: Fall of Man, in which an Army Ranger fights an alien race that is trying to take over the world, or Left 4 Dead, where the object is to slay fighting zombies.

I don’t mean to use this tragedy as a soapbox to once again point out how there’s no concrete link between violence in videogames and violence in real life. (Do I really need to do that? ‘Cause that perceived connection is so tenuous that at this point, it’s honestly become a joke.) Nor do I intend to make it sound like this bit of gaming-related news is the most important part of the Oregonian‘s story—obviously, it isn’t.

But that paragraph does play into long-unproven misconceptions, and it does assign easy blame where there doesn’t appear to actually be any. Ayala likely played Resistance and Left 4 Dead because that’s what pretty much every 24-year-old boy does—and until we have proof that slaying zombies on one’s Xbox is the trigger that makes fucked-up people do fucked-up things, including info that implies as much is just ignorant and lazy.

With honor and distinction, Erik Henriksen served as the executive editor of the Portland Mercury from 2004 to 2020. He can now be found at henriksenactual.com.

34 replies on “<i>Oregonian</i> Implies Videogames Were a Factor in Saturday’s Shooting.”

  1. I see where you’re coming from, but I don’t view the article as saying that the video games were really a detrimental force that could have contributed, more that he wasn’t into guns and violence but a ‘normal’ kid. The statement “Erik Salvador Ayala was a quiet man with an interest in computers and video games, not guns or nightclubs, his friend and roommate said Sunday” seems to say to me that he might have been introverted and not prone to clubbing — not that there was a correlation between his interest in video games and also violence.

    Also from reading the profile, it sounds like people just didn’t know much about him, which is why they define him by those narrow interests. Not because video games were a factor, but because the people interviewed didn’t know him well enough to know what else to say.

    But then again, I understand that as a writer you have a heightened interest in specific media slant, but I wanted to mention my reading of the article as well.

  2. I thought that article was hilarious. The headline said something like “no one would have guessed!” and then went on to say he was a loner who played violent video games. Go figure.

    Also, it’s worth noting that the guy who did the study you linked to added a couple huge caveats to his study: “I m not saying some games don’t lead to aggression, but I am saying the data are not there yet.” He also found significant short term effects.

  3. I played 60+ hours of Left 4 Dead, and I’m absolutely petrified of owning a real gun for fear of shooting myself accidentally. I’m also a complete pacifist. Those games provide an excellent stress reducer for me at the end of the game.

  4. @ Michelle: Good points. But there are a couple of things to keep an eye out for in this article that, to me at least, push it into the direction I was talking about.

    First, the headline of the story: “Suspect called quiet, video game fan.” Note the comma placement, which makes the fact that he played games appear to be a major aspect of his personality. (If he had been an ardent creator of origami cranes, I kinda doubt the headline would have read “Suspect called quiet, origami fan.”)

    Second, in the body of the article, there’s this: “One of the things that brought him joy was playing video games….” Presumably, Ayala had other hobbies, yet none of them are described in any detail, while two specific videogames are singled out in detail, even down to their violent-sounding plots.

    The reason why videogames are apparently important enough to single out in both the article and its headline isn’t ever explicitly stated. But the implication’s definitely there.

  5. @ Skinny City Girl: True, and I’ll go a bit further, actually: Those aren’t “caveats,” but statements of fact. In other words, the data simply isn’t there. After years of studies, there has yet to be any conclusive, consistent proof that videogames are any more to blame for violent behavior than R-rated movies or albums with naughty lyrics.

    It’s a commonly held belief that anyone who’s antisocial and has an Xbox is two steps away from being a serial killer; unfortunately for those who rely on such assumptions, there’s simply no reason to believe they’re true. The fact you can blithely point out, “he was a loner who played violent video games. Go figure” proves how prevalent this misconception is.

  10. Fear sells. Its sad to see papers turn to scare tactics as opposed to critical thought and thorough, investigative journalism. Its time for the O to pass on… I don’t even think they have the best Blazers coverage anymore.

  11. The cops just released the suicide note, where the shooter goes on at length about how much his roommate should sell his “special” PS3 for.

  13. @ Erik, I just don’t agree with you. I’m convinced that video games influence people. Look at all the young people out there who just want to kill ducks and design motorcross tracks. Crazy!

  14. Erik Henriksen’s complaint is based on the faulty premise that Mr. Ayala was a sane, reasonable, rational person capable of suppressing his violent urges. The vast majority of us can play violent video games, blowing people’s heads off with a machine gun and watching their guts splatter all over the place on a computer screen, and have no desire to do such things in real life. But for someone who in retrospect was obviously NOT a sane, reasonable, rational person capable of suppressing his violent urges, it seems perfectly reasonable to conclude that there was a correlation between his hobby of engaging in graphically detailed computer simulations of horrific violence and his horrifically violent actions in real life.

  15. in the copy of paper i say today the article title was “Suspect called quite, video game fan”

    maybe he was a duck fan? liked ice cream? maybe it should have read “suspect called quite, uo fan”?

    the oregonian editors needs to be fired. i have seen what used to be a near worthless paper turn into a sensational pile dog poo in the last six months with the craziest headlines.

  16. I love how when one person in millions goes psycho, we have to scrutinize their entire lives, as if we can isolate a single thing or small group of things that’s responsible for them going haywire.

    Considering the human condition, the surprise is that MOST people aren’t flipping out like this.

  18. Considering his PS3 was part of his suicide note, I don’t think the O was wrong to make a mention his hobby as well. They didn’t say video games caused crime.

  19. Am I the only one who believes that each of us are individually responsible for our actions ?

    If you start admitting the idea that a game caused someone to do something bad, then that opens the question of what caused the game designer to design that sort of game, thus dismissing the designer of any blame…

    This sort of analysis will never lead to anyone actually being responsible for anything.

  20. Why does this remind me of the story of the kid in Vancouver who was hit by an SUV while riding his bike, got dragged along the road 100 feet, and the article makes a point to mention he wasn’t wearing a helmet?

    It’s like they have a list they check off depending on the story: shooting spree? Check for video games. Cyclist hit by car? Check for helmet. The correlation is pretty clearly implied, especially in this case because, as Erik points out, they made a point to describe the characteristics of the games.

  22. @Velobot “graphically detailed computer simulations of horrific violence and his horrifically violent actions in real life.”

    Have you played any video games? There is more graphically detailed horrific violence in movies these days than video games ever. So why weren’t his last three movies watched listed? The Oregonian had to have specifically asked his friends and neighbors what video games he was playing at the time.

  23. Pitbull argument.
    Really, causation or correlation?
    You decide.
    No, wait. I want someone smarter deciding.

    People always have the choice to go shoot up a bunch of people or not, regardless of what they do for a hobby. But at the same time, I’m not surprised when lots of these young men play(ed) lots of shooter games. But then, I’m sure there’s millions who play them and don’t ever shoot anyone in the face or anywhere else. I do think it’s reflected in our culture way too much, though.

  26. I think, in the course of my career, I’ve had to deal with the mainstream media sensationalizing gaming more than anyone here, and I’m honestly blown away by anyone actually trying to defend the Oregonian’s piece.

    The bottom line is this: There really was no reason to mention Ayala’s gaming hobby — and in particular, there was no reason to name, then highlight any violent content included in the games found in his apartment.

    You’ll notice that the Oregonian didn’t go through his DVD collection and highlight every gunfight or murder found on those films, even though I feel pretty confident in assuming he, as a 24 year old male, owned at least a few of Matrix films, Boondock Saints and, probably 2 or 3 Tarantino movies.

    In aiming amplified scrutiny at Ayala’s gaming hobby the paper merely serves to reinforce the stereotype within naive older people (read: middle aged to elderly) who already assume videogames actively cause people to kill others (in much the same way that their parents thought television, and rock music led to murder, premarital sex and huffing glue out of Indian skulls).

    The good news is that in 20 years our kids will look back at things like this thread and wonder how the fuck anyone could have been defending the Oregonian.

    Well, your kids will anyway. My kids will have already murdered me while reenacting fatalities from Mortal Kombat Vs Judge Dredd.

  27. “The cops just released the suicide note, where the shooter goes on at length about how much his roommate should sell his “special” PS3 for.”

    In defense of Mr. Ayala, he wasn’t talking about some magical sentimental value of his PS3, so please don’t read that into it. Assuming he wasn’t lying to his roommate, his PS3 is quite special, as Sony no longer makes PS3’s that play PS2 games using internal hardware (or, for that matter, using software either). So, if you want to have a PS3 that can also play PlayStation 2 games, you’re going to have to a) find one and b) shell out an extra few hundred dollars to get someone to part with it.

  28. Bottom line – it’s easier for people to think that something sensational led to this unhinged guy doing what he did, rather than the truth – he was all alone, couldn’t find a job, had no money etc. etc.

    He went downtown to inflict pain on those who had what he didn’t, he wanted to hurt “the world”, the same “world” that he perceived had hurt him so badly.

    Sadly, many in this life don’t have the strength, or the patience, or the wisdom to see through the bullshit, the lies, the injustice, and the imperfection of human society. Most just take themselves out, but every once in awhile they take others with them.

    The only thing we can do is be nice to each other, lend a hand, offer kind words, smile – you never know when it might make a big difference to someone, someone like Erik.

    You guys are right – this had absolutely nothing to do with videogames.

  29. I agree with Earnest “Nex” Cavalli’s explanation, except that when someone with those kinds of problems, and who, in retrospect turned out to be mentally unstable, spends much of his time engaged in simulated mass murder, it’s reasonable to conclude that his hobby contributed to his actions to a certain degree.

    Mr. Cavalli implies that little things can make a big difference, and that’s exactly what I mean. Obviously video games were not the primary cause of Mr. Ayala’s actions, but spending hours engaged in simulated mass murder just might have been enough to push him over the edge, in the same way that a small gesture of friendship from Mr. Cavalli might have been enough to pull him back from the brink.

  31. The O didn’t merely say “he liked to play video games”, they gave brief recaps of the storylines from two discs found in his apartment: hunting zombies and alien-killing marines.

    That’s beyond basic background info– that’s fishing for a way to blame video games.

  32. Mr. Ayala enjoyed spending countless hours engaged in computer-simulated mass murder; he then went on a killing spree. It is worth considering that there is at least a small degree of correlation between his actions and his hobby.

  33. I certainly don’t blame the makers and designers of games. What I will say is that I am surrounded by grown men who are children living solipsisticlives in their apartments washing hours of their lives in pursuit of fictional gold. Pathetic. Is there a causal relationship between this case and the videogames? Probably not, just as there is likely was no causal relationship between games and most shootings. What is probably causal, is that spending every non-working waking hour on your ass playing a game is conducive to a an antisocial view of the world.

  34. Of course then there is this:

    “Armed with a fully loaded Italian-made pistol, Ayala took his practiced gamer fantasy out into the very real streets of Portland with very real tragic results.”

    http://theredelectric.blogspot.com/2009/01&hellip;

    Hey, I have an idea. How about we get people jobs – and provide universal health care which includes mental health coverage?

    Naw, that wouldn’t work. Lets just blame video games.

    Sorry for being cranky, I am still angry that I can’t kill real dinosaurs like I did in Turok…

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