Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in

Guy Shot Over Gaming Noise, Beating Up Mom

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US

A World of Warcraft gamer apparently lost his cool when Mom told him to keep the noise level down.

27-year-old James Swan was still living with his mother when he tried to choke her to death Sunday night.

Before the incident, he shared a room with his five younger siblings and played World of Warcraft in his little corner of the room. Other than the siblings and his mother, PC gamer James Swan also shared the house with his grandfather.

On the night of the incident, the mother was jolted awake by shouts coming from Swan's room. Concerned, she entered to find him drunk and playing the MMORPG around 10 p.m.

According to True Crime Report, the mother politely asked him to be mindful of her and his five siblings, and to keep the noise level down. When he refused to remain quiet, she politely asked him to be quiet again.

Suddenly enraged by her constant interruptions, Swan allegedly grabbed his mother by the hair and threw her on the bed. One of his little brothers, already jolted awake by Swan's antics, tried to intervene and was also thrown to the bed.

The report claims that the mother ran from the room to call 911. Swan quickly followed, pulled the phone out of the wall, and then smashed his own head through the kitchen wall.

With his head bleeding, Swan allegedly wrestled his mother to the floor and tried to strangle her, threatening to kill her. The grandfather entered the scene and tried to stop the struggle without any success.

Swan said he was also going to kill the grandfather.

Intent on being the last man standing, the grandfather retrieved his revolver. Both Swan and the elder man struggled with the gun until it discharged, grazing Swan's head and shooting through the kitchen window. Apparently this did the trick, as Swan was thus taken to the hospital, and then arrested thereafter.

The report did not specify specific charges or sentencing. There was also no indication as to what triggered the sudden outbreak. It may be that a certain group of campers wouldn't leave an area, sending him over the edge.

There are 78 Comments. B
Top Comments
  • 36
    shadow187 , February 18, 2010 5:29 AM
    Grandpaw's Revolver
    +3 Accuracy
    Critical Chance: 100%
  • 25
    Hellbound , February 18, 2010 5:30 AM
    27 years old and still living with mom playing WoW? Get a life.
  • 24
    afrocreeper , February 18, 2010 5:15 AM
    Did he drop any good loot?
Other Comments
  • 13
    Mousemonkey , February 18, 2010 4:39 AM
    That guy really needs a copy of Postal. :lol: 
  • 21
    Vestin , February 18, 2010 4:57 AM
    "Swan quickly followed, pulled the phone out of the wall, and then smashed his own head through the kitchen wall."
    Heeeeere's Jimmy ! ;P
  • 20
    elel , February 18, 2010 5:05 AM
    That's sad.
  • 24
    Stryter , February 18, 2010 5:06 AM
    This takes 'nerd rage' to a whole new level
  • 18
    Sunburn74 , February 18, 2010 5:07 AM
    geez... stories like this just make me sick to my stomach. I mean really...
  • 23
    bdcrlsn , February 18, 2010 5:07 AM
    WoW claims another victim.
  • 18
    brendano257 , February 18, 2010 5:08 AM
    Sigh....get back into real life and forget about stupid MMO's.
  • 1
    anonymous@guest , February 18, 2010 5:13 AM
    "It may be that a certain group of campers wouldn't leave an area, sending him over the edge."

    I hate campers this much!
    /opens arms wide
  • 24
    afrocreeper , February 18, 2010 5:15 AM
    Did he drop any good loot?
  • 9
    KC8DKT , February 18, 2010 5:23 AM
    WTF ?
  • 36
    shadow187 , February 18, 2010 5:29 AM
    Grandpaw's Revolver
    +3 Accuracy
    Critical Chance: 100%
  • 25
    Hellbound , February 18, 2010 5:30 AM
    27 years old and still living with mom playing WoW? Get a life.
  • 12
    acecombat , February 18, 2010 5:33 AM
    Congratulations you leveled up. Stats +10 to aggression -5 to RL
  • 3
    Brent_NC , February 18, 2010 5:38 AM
    Good luck on that dungeon crawl.
  • 0
    grieve , February 18, 2010 5:44 AM
    How pathetic...

    Check this guy out, turn the sound up and watch... i don't know to laugh @ him or just feel sorry for him.
    hacked WoW account.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdBrYfxSXWc

    and here is when he gets the account back... this is just funny, him with his authenticator! lol
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAJZ3AurgU8&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=B1D84437F0D6174C

  • 9
    carpwrist , February 18, 2010 5:45 AM
    Someone should keep a tally of how many WoW players wind up in jail due to obsessive behavior.
  • 2
    Socnom , February 18, 2010 5:49 AM
    He just got keyed for the new Raid Dungeon: Lockup.

    I don't think his vendor gear has enough resists. He might survive the beatings from the trash mobs, but he will get raped by the boss.
  • 1
    amarok , February 18, 2010 5:51 AM
    Seems that when mom opened the door to his cave, the fresh air and light shocked the wow-nerd and he went in "I-must-kill-intruders-before-next-level-insane-mode".
    Nice he was stopped before he could go on a killing spree, but then again, he probably didn't even had shoes for outdoors walking ;-)
  • 9
    gekko668 , February 18, 2010 5:57 AM
    This goes to show alcohol and WoW doesn't mix. Tragic story otherwise.
Display more comments