Are News stories about shooting deaths perpetuating more shootings?

[march1971]

I checked the news on the internet this morning and over eighty percent of the stories were about people who had been shot, shot someone, or was going to jail for having shot someone.  Nothing about the heightened Israel/Libya conflict. Nothing about North Korea's nuclear proliferation. I think that we are giving sick people the idea that they can make it into the world limelight if they choose to go out and shoot someone. This way of thinking seems to be working for suicide bombers as well.  This information generation seems to be going in the wrong direction if it is causing humans to devaluate life and respect/love for their fellow humans.

do you remember the days of Noah? there was evil in a lot of hearts, and God had wiped out the sinful humanity with the flood. it will be a matter of time before Jesus decides to come
and rapture His Bride, and then there will be real havoc on earth.

[vp44]

I think the root cause of all this violence is VIDEO GAMES. Have you watched anyone (maybe yourself) play these games? I don't mean watch the screen, but watch the people playing!!!

If you have done a study of this you would know that not all pertain to have this gun need or want to kill by a gun. It is in the way people have a thought to put guns in their home and then not protect the guns from certain people or kids who have access. My nephew have been playing certain games with guns for a few years now, his thoughts are it is a game and not something that people should bring to life I always him. To me it is how the parent or child reflects on a game and if they are violent. If you allow your child to behave a certain way and not help then yes your child should not play those type of games. Parents need to help their children and direct them. Stop being lazy Parents. When I was younger I played all kinds of games with guns and different things. My Father was Charter Bus Driver majority of the time my brothers and I raised our self from a Parent Guidance (we were left alone to babysit each other my oldest brother was 16, with a visit from our Aunt who just bought groceries and stole money from our grocery fund that's a different story). My brothers and I have never killed anyone or have ever had thoughts of it. Get another excuse and video games are not it.

[jcalexis]

I believe that people are killing people just to hear their shooting stories on the news. I also believe that the media needs to stop broadcasting some of these shootings.

[kay7]

Violent video games, violent movies and non-stop coverage of violent acts by the news media all contribute to the problem.  Of course, there were crazies prior to these things but they weren't encouraged like they are these days.

[bigfoot951]

To the main question...no.  There are so many stories about this because the media is trying to make the whole issue about something it isn't about, guns, instead of realizing it is about the insanity of human beings.

[wildequusheart]

Studies have actually shown that extensive media coverage of certain events can lead to copycatting. The evidence is particularly strong for suicides, but anecdotal evidence seems to support this for mass shootings also. All the details are too much to go into here, but it creates a catch-22 for the media. Covering shootings spreads the idea to individuals who may empathize or identify with the shooter, thereby increasing the risk of future shootings. However, not covering shootings may be considered socially irresponsible (we should know about dangerous events in our society) and disrespectful towards the victims. There's no easy answer.