RFK Jr. Suggests Video Games Could Be Cause of Gun Violence

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, has suggested that violent video games might be a potential factor contributing to the rise in gun violence and mass shootings nationwide. Although he didn’t single out video games as the primary cause, Kennedy mentioned that federal authorities are examining the possible connection between such games and these tragic events.

Back in 1999, the horrific Columbine High School shootings significantly shaped America’s perspective on mass shootings. It was often pointed out that the shooters had a fondness for id Software’s first-person shooter game, “Doom.” This tragic event took the lives of 13 individuals, most being fellow students like myself. Since then, video games have frequently been a topic of debate in conversations surrounding gun violence.

U.S. Government Researches Link Between Video Games and Gun Violence

In a recent video from PBS NewsHour, Secretary Kennedy admitted that the U.S. has an alarmingly high rate of shootings, stating that this issue isn’t prevalent in other nations. He highlighted a significant increase in mass shootings since the 1990s and suggested several possible contributors to the rise in gun violence, such as psychiatric medications, social media, and video games. The National Institute of Health is investigating these potential factors. Interestingly, Kennedy’s comments have brought video game companies under scrutiny once more, a spotlight that has previously been shone on them by President Trump during his first term, following the tragic shooting-related deaths of 20 people at a Texas Walmart.

Kennedy’s own life has been deeply impacted by gun violence, as during his childhood in the 1960s, both his father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy Sr., and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, were tragically murdered in separate assassinations. However, his recent remarks appear to focus on mass shootings that have occurred since the 1990s. In fact, as of 2025, over 300 cases resulting in at least four fatalities or injuries have been documented by Gun Violence Archive. This year, Activision found itself embroiled in a lawsuit pertaining to a school shooting that took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas in 2022. The lawsuit alleges that the shooter was influenced by Activision’s Call of Duty games, which led to the deaths of 19 students and two teachers. Despite the shooter being a regular player of these games, Activision has denied any such influence and asserts their right to freedom of expression in creating the games under the First Amendment.

In 2023, the director of Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron, chose to eliminate several gun-related scenes from his movie, expressing his disapproval of gun violence and admitting that he now regrets some violent scenes featuring guns in the early Terminator films he directed around three decades prior. This shows that media beyond video games also incorporate weapons, and creative minds like Cameron have voiced their concerns about depicting shootings in a way that could be perceived as glorifying such acts.

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2025-09-10 22:27