Roblox says it has deleted the account belonging to the perpetrator of a mass murder that left nine people dead in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. A game created by the suspect that enables players to carry out a mass shooting in a simulated shopping mall has also been deleted.
A 404 Media report says the Roblox account belonging to Jesse Van Rootselaar, and the game, were initially discovered by members of Kiwi Farms, a web forum known for doxxing and harassment campaigns. Clips of gameplay subsequently shared on social media show a player using various types of weaponry to kill NPCs wandering around inside a small shopping center.
“We have removed the user account connected to this horrifying incident as well as any content associated with the suspect,” a Roblox rep confirmed with 404 Media. “We are committed to fully supporting law enforcement in their investigation.”
Roblox also said that Van Rootselaar’s game was only accessible through Roblox Studio, a separate application used by developers to make games. Because of that, the game had only been visited seven times prior to its removal. It’s not clear when the game was made.
Concerns about a causal connection between videogames and real-world violence have persisted for years, despite repeated failures to find significant links between gaming and violent behavior. The Entertainment Software Rating Board was created as a result of political pressure over games like Mortal Kombat and Night Trap; more than 30 years later, US health and human services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the government was investigating the causes of mass violence in the country, including “connections with videogames.”
A CBC report says the RCMP has identified Van Rootselaar, 18, as the sole perpetrator of the mass murder that left six children and two adults dead in the community of 2,400, including the shooter’s mother and half-brother. Van Rootselaar took her own life after the attack.
I’ve reached out to Roblox for more information and will update if I receive a reply.
