Ohio teen who killed over video game gets 23 years

ELYRIA, Ohio (AP) — An Elyria teen who shot and killed his mother and wounded his minister father has been sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Defendant Daniel Petric shook his head slightly, sniffled and held back tears during his sentencing today in Elyria. He did not address Judge James Burge of Lorain County Common Pleas Court.

Petric was convicted of shooting his parents in October 2007 after they took the game “Halo 3” away from him. The judge had said the 17-year-old was so obsessed over a video game that he may have believed that, like the characters in the game, death wasn’t real.

The defense claims the teen’s age and addiction to the game made him less responsible.

In the video game “Halo 3,” players shoot alien monsters that have taken over the Earth.