After his Counter-Strike character died in a knife fight, 20-year-old Julien Barreaux spent six months tracking down the virtual killer. Then he grabbed a real kitchen knife and paid the man a visit.


Thankfully the Frenchman's knife skills are almost as bad in real life as they are in Counter-Strike and he missed his victim's heart by an inch. He was arrested "within the hour and told [police that] he had wanted to see his rival wiped out for killing off his character."

Judge Alexiane Potel best summed up the entire situation with these words to Barreaux at the trial that followed:

You are a menace to society. I am frankly terrified of the disproportionate reaction you could have if someone looked at you the wrong way in the street.


Barreaux was sentenced to two years in jail and anger management therapy. [NY Daily News]

Picture by Rainer Ebert