(Western Journal) A Democratic Illinois state legislator is blaming the video game “Grand Theft Auto” — at least in part — for Chicago’s massive spike in carjackings.
Carjackings in Chicago more than doubled in 2020 compared with the previous year, Block Club Chicago reported, citing Chicago Police Department data.
More than 200 carjackings took place in January, according to WBEZ-FM.
The video game some have focused upon is older than many of the carjacking suspects who are arrested.
The first version of “Grand Theft Auto” debuted in 1997. Carjacking suspects are often in their early to middle teens, with some as young as 13, WLS-TV reported.
Some suspects think their age makes them immune to any real consequences.
“These guys feel like they are going to get right back out, especially since they are juveniles,” retired police officer Vincent Sims told WFLD-TV.
Philanthropist Early Walker, however, believes the video game triggers kids to live it out on the streets of Chicago, and contacted Democratic state Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. to do something about it.
Evans submitted a bill last week to amend a 2012 law that banned some video games from being sold to minors.
“‘Grand Theft Auto’ and other violent video games are getting in the minds of our young people and perpetuating the normalcy of carjacking,” Evans said, according to WLS-TV. “Carjacking is not normal and carjacking must stop.”
