A game that spawns violence: Man stabbed for new £45 Grand Theft Auto game after queuing up at midnight to buy it



The 23-year-old man was attacked after leaving Asda in Colindale, London

He was stabbed in the back twice and hit with a brick

Detectives said he was in a stable condition in hospital yesterday



Thousands queued across Britain to buy the latest edition of hit game



It could have been a scene straight out of the ultra-violent video game.

Minutes after the Grand Theft Auto V game went on sale yesterday, yobs mugged a fan who’d been one of the first to buy it — battering him over the head with a brick and knifing him in the back.

The 23-year-old victim had queued for hours at a supermarket to buy the game and was on his way home when he was set upon by the teenage mob who demanded he hand it over.

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Crime scene: A police officer stands guard at the scene where a man was attacked and robbed after buying a copy of the latest Grand Theft Auto computer game

Investigation: The attack happened in Princes Avenue, Colindale, at around 1.20am yesterday following the release of the game at midnight

When he refused, the gang of five or six youngsters gave chase, stabbing him in the back twice with a kitchen knife, before throwing a brick at his head, which sent him crashing to the ground.

The thugs ripped the computer game from his grasp and stole his mobile phone so he could not call for help.

Yesterday, the unnamed man was recovering in hospital where he was said to be in a stable condition.

Detectives believe the muggers specifically targeted him after seeing crowds of fans queuing in the car park of Asda superstore in Colindale, North-West London.

Attack: The 23-year-old was hit with a brick, stabbed and robbed after visiting the Asda store in Colindale, north London, to buy the latest Grand Theft Auto game

In stock: The game is pictured on display at the store hours after its release yesterday

Several stores across the country started selling the game at midnight as part of a worldwide release of the fifth in the blockbuster series to fans eager to get their hands on one of the most highly-anticipated games of all time.

The attack happened just after 1am when the thugs followed their victim to a deserted street.

It came as the makers of Grand Theft Auto faced fresh controversy over the new game’s gruesome torture scenes.

Alison Sherratt, president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said she was worried about the impact on children. She said: ‘Until now, we’ve been warning of the dangers of children seeing these games, but saying it’s the parents responsibility to keep children away from them.

‘But this scene takes things a step too far and the games makers need to consider what they are producing.

Launch: The 23-year-old man (not pictured) had just bought a copy of the newly released Grand Theft Auto game at the Asda store in Colindale, north London

‘Children in our playgrounds display more violence. My concern is that little brother or sister walks into the room and starts watching something like this because an older brother is playing it.

‘They don’t understand the difference between reality and fiction because it’s so graphic and real, and they do copy it.

‘They imitate what they see and this scene is taking it way too far.’

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers has carried out research suggesting video games are increasing violence among primary school-aged children.

Ms Sherratt added: ‘We’ve had children crashing into others in toy cars in the playground. When asked about it they say they’ve been watching Grand Theft Auto. They are quite open about it — children of nine and ten.’



Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: ‘I am astonished at the level of violence depicted in this game.

‘It is worrying that this type of content could be accessed by young people, particularly considering the previous links to real-life violence.

In demand: The 23-year-old victim was among hundreds of fans of the computer game to queue outside stores ahead of the midnight release. Customers are pictured outside Game in Westfield, Stratford

It's here: The long awaited game is expected to break sales records

Dedicated: Fans of the game queue outside a HMV store in Wimbledon in the early hours of Tuesday morning after the launch of the game Big sales: Customers snap up the new game at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford

Much anticipated: Queues are finally allowed to enter the Game store at Westfield in Stratford after a long wait for the game

Still queuing: Dedicated gamers queue out the door at a branch of Game in Glasgow for the highly anticipated game

Open all hours: Fans around the country queued as shops opened late to mark the game's launch

‘It is important that the video game industry takes steps to inform the public about the level of extreme content.

‘Responsibility also lies with parents to ensure their children do not access these games until it is appropriate.’



A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'A 23-year-old man was shopping, then on his way back home he was hit with a brick and stabbed. 'He was robbed of items he had bought from a nearby Asda supermarket including a copy of Grand Theft Auto. 'We think he was attacked on Princes Avenue by multiple suspects although it is unclear how many at this stage.' The scene of the attack remained cordoned off today while police appealed for witnesses.



Big business: The Grand Theft Auto series has accumulated sales of 135million copies since its 1997 debut

Money maker: The game, pictured advertised here in Los Angeles, is expected to generate sales of around £1billion in its first year on sale

