Huffington Post
An 8-year-old boy who intentionally shot his grandmother after playing "Grand Theft Auto" will continue to live with his family, a Louisiana judge ruled Monday.
Under state law, the child can't be charged for shooting 87-year-old Marie Smothers, CNN reports.
"It's not a crime if he's under 10 years old. We're still trying to figure out how to help this juvenile and his parents," said East Feliciana Parish District Attorney Samuel D'Aquilla. "It was determined that he did the shooting and it was an accident. He thought it was a toy gun, a play gun."
The shooting took place in a mobile home near Slaughter, La., last Thursday. Smothers was watching TV and caring for the boy, who was playing video games right behind her. At some point, the boy picked up a .38-caliber handgun and shot Smothers from about four feet away.
The unidentified boy has reportedly been handed back and forth between the parents and his grandmother. Law enforcement officials have said that he and Smothers had a "normal, loving relationship."
"Grand Theft Auto" is rated "M" for mature audiences and recommended for teens and adults aged 17 and older.
I suppose it's an unspoken understanding that the gun belonged to granny. The fact that it was accessible to an 8-year-old, to me, seems like a much greater offense than letting the kid play adult video games.
But, this is Louisiana, after all. What can you expect?
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