Heroes of the Storm Player Arrested for Making Terrorist Threats In-Game - MMORPG.com

SBFord

Heroes of the Storm Player Arrested for Making Terrorist Threats In-Game - MMORPG.com

A Heroes of the Storm player named Michael Mickowski, 26, has been arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada on charges of terrorism and is currently being held on a $150,000 bail in place. Mickowski was arrested after Blizzard Entertainment reported comments he made while playing HotS where he threatened a mass shooting at a school when he "had enough money to buy a gun and some ammunition". At first, Mickowski threatened a high school, but changed to threatening an elementary school.

Read the full story here

Scorchien

lol dumass , have a nice time in the GP , thatll learn ya

Cyber_wasteland

Alright psycho, protect your behind because jail is where you need to be.

crankked

18 elementary schools in a 2 mile radius? Is that a real thing? Because it doesn't sound true and, on top of that, makes no difference to the story. Are we really assuming if some psycho was going to shoot up a school that he wouldn't be willing to drive a couple miles to get there?

Galadourn

Isn't it a bit far fetched to press charges based on expressed "intentions" in a video game?

Xarko

I mean, they should probably put everyone still playing HotS on the watch list, there must be something wrong with them, no?

Sovrath

crankked said:

18 elementary schools in a 2 mile radius? Is that a real thing? Because it doesn't sound true and, on top of that, makes no difference to the story. Are we really assuming if some psycho was going to shoot up a school that he wouldn't be willing to drive a couple miles to get there?

If you look at a map of Las Vegas apparently it is.

natpick

is this him ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkdj6oIi5oU

Grunty

Galadourn said:

Isn't it a bit far fetched to press charges based on expressed "intentions" in a video game?

Has the word intentions been placed on the politically correct list of phrases for a threat?  I don't keep up with the latest politically correct phrases.

SBFord

crankked said:

18 elementary schools in a 2 mile radius? Is that a real thing? Because it doesn't sound true and, on top of that, makes no difference to the story. Are we really assuming if some psycho was going to shoot up a school that he wouldn't be willing to drive a couple miles to get there?

The story is from a local television station. Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the US right now and it makes complete sense that there are that many schools, though perhaps not elementary schools, in a small radius.

Scot

I don't no why but I just had a thought of this happening in CoE when it gets up and running, can you imagine the reaction of the CEO? This was the guy who did a rant about naughty avatar names; he would call out your National Guard for something like this.

SBFord

Grunty said:

Galadourn said:

Isn't it a bit far fetched to press charges based on expressed "intentions" in a video game?

Has the word intentions been placed on the politically correct list of phrases for a threat?  I don't keep up with the latest politically correct phrases.

The police, in general, do not take threats of school shootings lightly.

I'm sort of astonished at the cavalier comments here. I think it's great this dirtbag was arrested and I hope he serves time. As a former teacher and as a parent, the thought of another school shooting is terrifying because US schools are very, very vulnerable, particularly elementary and middle schools.

mmrv

SBFord said:

crankked said:

18 elementary schools in a 2 mile radius? Is that a real thing? Because it doesn't sound true and, on top of that, makes no difference to the story. Are we really assuming if some psycho was going to shoot up a school that he wouldn't be willing to drive a couple miles to get there?

The story is from a local television station. Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the US right now and it makes complete sense that there are that many schools, though perhaps not elementary schools, in a small radius.

I live in las vegas, and no even in a fast growing town you dont have the population to support 18 schools in 2 miles lol. Keep in mind one of the largest mass shooting occurred in las vegas about 2 years ago at a hotel on the strip so we are very sensitive about people talking mass shootings. So I do agree with you people need to be clamped down on that are planning to attempt to perform a mass shooting, however I think there is a rather large difference between some big mouth typing in a video game and someone actually planning to conduct a shooting, and it can be a very fine and dangerous line to play around with. So better to arrest him than not I suppose. Personally I would favor surveillance until something concrete manifests in his actions to support his threats and lock him up forever rather than give him 5-10 years in prison to stew about it only to have him be released and then commit the actual crime.

Here is the thing though, would they be better off watching him until he does something indicting real intent? Will these mass shooter types now just be more careful about concealing their intentions?? Will the rage of being locked up drive him to actually do it when he gets out of prison? Its all very complicated and sometimes you get some unexpected consequences to over reacting inappropriately. In the end though I think this guy has some mental issues, I been pissed off many times in life and never once does the idea of mass killing come to the forefront of how I would diffuse my anger...

SBFord

@mmrv Do you honestly believe the LVPD has the numbers to assign duty officers to watch this guy 24/7 for...how long? A month? A year? 10 years? Do they wait until he wanders into a school with guns and then arrest him?

Wow...just wow. I'd rather err on the side of caution than wait until some horrific thing happens, especially when it comes to children's lives.

Sovrath

DMKano said:

Sovrath said:

crankked said:

18 elementary schools in a 2 mile radius? Is that a real thing? Because it doesn't sound true and, on top of that, makes no difference to the story. Are we really assuming if some psycho was going to shoot up a school that he wouldn't be willing to drive a couple miles to get there?

If you look at a map of Las Vegas apparently it is.

I looked 2m radius- no

More like 5-7 mile radius

I guess my use of the downtown boston was wrong as far as miles! :Looked like two to me.

though I do seem to see about 6 in about a 2mil radius to the west.

crankked

How many anti-depressants or prescription drugs is the guy on? Over-medication tends to make people have crazy thoughts. Guess that wasn't part of the news story, but the impossibly ridiculous amount of schools in a 2 mile radius made it just to incite some extra fear.

SBFord

crankked said:

How many anti-depressants or prescription drugs is the guy on? Over-medication tends to make people have crazy thoughts. Guess that wasn't part of the news story, but the impossibly ridiculous amount of schools in a 2 mile radius made it just to incite some extra fear.

Probably a miscalculation on the part of the news team, but the other facts seem solid. We'll keep eyes on it for sure.

Sovrath

SBFord said:

crankked said:

18 elementary schools in a 2 mile radius? Is that a real thing? Because it doesn't sound true and, on top of that, makes no difference to the story. Are we really assuming if some psycho was going to shoot up a school that he wouldn't be willing to drive a couple miles to get there?

The story is from a local television station. Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the US right now and it makes complete sense that there are that many schools, though perhaps not elementary schools, in a small radius.

So maybe there are that many then and not on google maps.

Clark County seems 8 miles and has over 300 schools.

so yeah, lots of school to be very sensitive about.

goboygo

Ya I was just kidden.....

Celcius

Xarko said:

I mean, they should probably put everyone still playing HotS on the watch list, there must be something wrong with them, no?

Bit harsh, no? I don't think it is fair to say everyone still playing |insert any video game here| should be put on a watch list because there is something wrong with them. I know it was a joke, but poor taste dude. As for OP: Good. He deserves it.

Wizardry

I have said it many times of late,,yep keep making games with a toxic pvp design,your doing the community a great service.
I have said this about ALL pvp games,there is NO need for them,what is wrong with making games where people get along and work together for PVE?
The reason is PVP is a huge platform to promote cash shops,something Blizzard has been hard aiming at of late.
Everything within Blizzard is COMPETE COMPETE and compete,it is a TOXIC way to do gaming.Of course that type of atmosphere is going to create hostility and anger and people saying things they don't really mean.
China even blocked Blizzard on more than one occasion.https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/has-china-really-banned-fortnite-pubg-and-other-battle-royale-games-250087

The keyword is ETHICS,apparently Blizzard AND others of course care more about making money than what they are doing.

Quit building toxic games,make some good pve games,i have never in the history of gaming seen a calm respectful pvp community,it NEVER happens.

sayuu

Well @Wizardy I disagree, the most toxic community I ever encountered was when I played solitaire. . .

MadFrenchie

SBFord said:

@mmrv Do you honestly believe the LVPD has the numbers to assign duty officers to watch this guy 24/7 for...how long? A month? A year? 10 years? Do they wait until he wanders into a school with guns and then arrest him?

Wow...just wow. I'd rather err on the side of caution than wait until some horrific thing happens, especially when it comes to children's lives.

I agree.  I mean, why the hell are people blaming the police response, even if you're looking at it pragmatically?  The easiest solution is for people to not be so utterly stupid as to think uttering a threat against a school these days is going to be okay.

Pemmin

good that is all

OhhPaigey

Good for Blizzard.

I said this in another post awhile back where Jagex banned a guy for doing something really stupid just like this..

Just because you are online does not mean you are magically allowed to be a total shit head.

Just like in real life you aren't allowed to be, there are & should be consequences.

BlueThunderBear

Wizardry said:

I have said it many times of late,,yep keep making games with a toxic pvp design,your doing the community a great service.

I have said this about ALL pvp games,there is NO need for them,what is wrong with making games where people get along and work together for PVE?

The reason is PVP is a huge platform to promote cash shops,something Blizzard has been hard aiming at of late.

Everything within Blizzard is COMPETE COMPETE and compete,it is a TOXIC way to do gaming.Of course that type of atmosphere is going to create hostility and anger and people saying things they don't really mean.

China even blocked Blizzard on more than one occasion.https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/has-china-really-banned-fortnite-pubg-and-other-battle-royale-games-250087



The keyword is ETHICS,apparently Blizzard AND others of course care more about making money than what they are doing.



Quit building toxic games,make some good pve games,i have never in the history of gaming seen a calm respectful pvp community,it NEVER happens.

So you just used the threat of lethal violence against children as an excuse to get on your soapbox abouy game modes you dont like... Yet they're the toxic ones?