ALBAWABA - The Philippines has temporarily banned a gaming application called Gorebox following an initial investigation, claiming that the teenage suspect behind the Tacloban school shooting has been playing the game.
According to the BBC, the shooting incident left three students killed and 20 others injured after two suspects, 14 and 15, allegedly fired inside a classroom using handguns in Tacloban, Manila. Police revealed that the 14-year-old suspect was an avid player of Gorebox, where players can "obliterate anything [they] desire" and "engage in brutal combat with an extensive arsenal of weapons and explosives," according to its Google Play description.
Philippines bans Gorebox, game played by Tacloban school shooter
The Philippines' cyber-security agency said, "We cannot ignore possible online influences that may have contributed to this tragic incident." It added, "Temporarily blocking the game will allow authorities to conduct a thorough assessment into whether the platform played any role in the actions of the suspects."
Reports indicate that the 15-year-old suspect was charged with murder, while the 14-year-old is below the age to be charged under Philippine law.
Gorebox's German developer, F2 Games, released a statement by its CEO vowing to cooperate with the government. "When children have been harmed, I understand authorities wanting to act cautiously, and they have my full cooperation," F2Games founder Felix Filip said in an email on Thursday.
