Everyone that plays online games, at some point, has wanted to punch, choke, shove or generally harm another player for something that happened in the game. Whether it’s the jerk in “Modern Warfare 2” running around at super-speed with an eighteen-foot stabbing range or the guy in your “World of Warcraft” party that rolls need on everything and hearths out (ah, the old days), it’s only common to experience some sort of frustration with the idiots that often play games.

Mark Bradford, a 46-year-old man, apparently felt the same way while playing “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” and decided to do something about it. After being repeatedly killed, camped, and mocked by a 13-year-old COD player (aren’t they all), Bradford somehow managed to track the kid down and confront him in person. Bradford’s strategy for teaching the kid a lesson? Strangulation, of course!

The incident was broken up by the kid’s mom and Bradford has apparently admitted to one count of assault, though this whole thing happened in the U.K. so I’m not really sure if that’s a big deal or not. What I do know is that it’s absolutely ridiculous to try and hurt another person because you’re frustrated by a game. While Joystiq appears to be gleefully celebrating a story of an internet jerk getting his comeuppance, they’re seriously overlooking the dangers such a precedent sets. 

We’ve seen people get stabbed because of “Counter Strike” arguments. Now we’ve seen someone who should be mature enough to turn off the game and take a walk opt instead to assault a child. I understand that games make you mad sometimes, but there is absolutely no excusable reason to try and strangle a human being that’s 33 years your junior.

Mark Bradford, and the gaming community that seems to support his actions, both need to grow up.

Via WowNews

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