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XBox (Games) Entertainment Games

Bullet-Proof Xbox Wows Police 132

Posted by simoniker from the click-click-boom dept.
DocUi writes "The Baltimore Sun is reporting about how a man, upset with his roommates playing videogames late at night, decided to take it out on their Xbox using a gun. He stormed into their living room and fired a round into the offending game console. However, 'The 9mm gunshot did not penetrate the system and did not injure anyone at the scene, police said', although it 'disabled' the machine."
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Bullet-Proof Xbox Wows Police More

Bullet-Proof Xbox Wows Police

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  • Like a heat sink, only for bullets (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ObviousGuy ( 578567 ) <ObviousGuy@hotmail.com> on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @04:30AM (#7616573) Homepage Journal
    The front of the XBox is vaned, much like a heat sink, so the bars of the grill on the front may have been just lucky enough to deflect the direct impact of the force in different directions, causing the force of the bullet to be dissipated over a larger area.

    But I'm no physicist.

  • I can't wait until the comments start rolling in.. (Score:3, Funny)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @04:31AM (#7616574) Homepage Journal
    .. so I can see the spin put on this that proves Microsoft is evil.

    "Microsoft just built a bullet proof game machine so nobody'll be able to throw it away."

  • Nutjob (Score:1, Insightful)

    by Mark_MF-WN ( 678030 )
    What a freak. That's really the best solution he could come up with to deal with the noise of his roommates X-Box? (I presume it was the noise that bothered him... otherwise he's an even bigger freak) Seriously, people like that don't need jail time; they need to be put in psychiatric hospitals.

    • Re:Nutjob (Score:4, Interesting)

      by TwistedGreen ( 80055 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @04:44AM (#7616615)
      Everyone gets angry.

      And when you're angry, you fantasize about fun things like "what i would do if i had a fragmentation grenade... or a 9mm handgun."

      But acting on it is rather a different matter.
      • I find it hard to believe that normal and balanced people fantize about grenades and handguns when they are angry.

        • Re:Nutjob (Score:2, Interesting)

          by damien_kane ( 519267 )
          "Normal" and "Balanced" are subjective terms.
          I feel I am completely "Normal" and "Balanced". It's just that very few people agree with me at first glance.

          I do fantasize about various weapons of destruction and brutal acts of violence when I'm angry.
          That's usually around the time I start into the heavy bag for 20-30 minutes...
        • Ever been hit in the head with a can thrown from a moving car that was travelling (at least) 80 km/h? While you were simply walking at the side of the road?

          Until you've been used for someone else's amusement and can't do a thing about it, you won't know anger. I sure wish I had a rocket launcher handy then, though it was probably better that I didn't.
          • No, but I nearly got my head busted open by a bottle.

            One time a few years ago, a buddy and I were walking down the street in front of my house, and a truck drove past. In the bed were a group of hispanics (Not racist, just being detailed.) and one of them hurled a beer bottle at me. The bottle whizzed about an inch in front of my nose and shattered near my friend's feet.

            After that, I started carrying a .357 magnum revolver in the front of my pants while walking in front of my house. I never intended

            • It's your own damn fault. If you were smart, you would make enough money to afford to live somewhere safe. You're so irresponsible.

              And now you carry a gun like you're some fucking cowboy. Well, you're all hat, and no horse.
        • I agree. The normal people I know fantasize about flamethrowers and LAW rockets and railguns when they are angry. What's the point of fantasizing about small arms, when you can have a whole fantasy world of BFGs? Sheesh.

      • Re:Nutjob (Score:3, Insightful)

        by rthille ( 8526 )
        There's a reason that I've got a lock on the 9mm in my nightstand. Looking for the key, struggling with the lock, etc. gives you time to think that you maybe don't want to put a bullet in the neighbor's dog that's been barking for the last 6 hours...
        • "Looking for the key, struggling with the lock, etc. gives you time to think that you maybe don't want to put a bullet in the neighbor's dog that's been barking for the last 6 hours..."

          It also gives a murderer time to stab you in the back.
          http://www.libertyartworx.com/images/gun_lo ck_safe ty_700.jpg
          There was an even better (less comic-like) one of a man in a skimask grabing a woman with a knife in his hand, but I can't seem to find it now.
      • Who dreams of using a wimpy 9mm? Thats really why it didnt go thru the XBox.

        Real men use Desert Eagles!

    • Re:Nutjob (Score:5, Funny)

      by Haeleth ( 414428 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @07:42AM (#7617030) Journal
      Yeah, he must be crazy. It's obvious that the tool for the job is a sledgehammer.

    • Re:Nutjob (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Jerf ( 17166 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @10:35AM (#7617967) Journal
      Let me give you the flip side: People who care so little about their noise because it doesn't bother them, and they have nothing remotely resembling a clue that it does bother other people, and it's not a "choice" the other people make, it's a deep-seated instinct.

      You can't turn your ears off.

      These people made my dorm years a living hell, and they couldn't care less.

      I would never have brandished a gun, but I sure as hell did fantasize about it.

      • Re:Nutjob (Score:5, Funny)

        by BrynM ( 217883 ) * on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @01:05PM (#7619407) Homepage Journal
        I came up with a solution a long time ago for my ex-roommate who played his NES way too loud constantly. While he was at work, I opened up his TV and disconnected the speaker. When he turned it on, he started smacking the TV and cursing at the "stupid peice of ____". I then asked him what was wrong and said that we should try the NES on my TV. Sure enough, it mad noise. I then "diagnosed" that he had blown the speaker and op amps in his TV by using the NES too loud. The classic line was telling him that the FM synth sounds that the NES made were perfect for blowing out a speaker and spouted some realistic sounding theories. He never did figure it out, but also never did turn it up loud again. Every so often, I would catch him trying to "warn" some of his friends about doing the same - "Dude! That's how I messed up my TV". Heh. If you're reading this, sorry Mike. It was me :)
      • Let me give you the flip side: People who care so little about their noise because it doesn't bother them, and they have nothing remotely resembling a clue that it does bother other people, and it's not a "choice" the other people make, it's a deep-seated instinct.

        Yes but there is a big difference in telling your roommates to STFU (which he should have done), and shooting up their XBox.

        Hell even unplugging the damn thing in the middle of their game would've gotten the point accross.
    • Maybe more Kazaa users should get up and vote, then we might have a little more sway over our elected officials. (Not trying to be inflamatory here, but I see a hole in your sig's logic...)
      • I just think that fact is funny, is all. I'm Canadian, so it's doubly irrelevant. As far as I'm concerned, Americans have it pretty easy. We have to pay taxes to the RIAA whenever we buy blank CDs or blank memory sticks for cameras, MP3 players, etc. And we'll probably have to pay an internet-bandwidth tax to the RIAA soon too. As far as I'm concerned, I've already paid for every song I download, and downloading more just means I'm getting a bulk-discount. What was the point again? ... Oh yeah. Like
    • I think the craziest part of this report is that somehow some jackass and a retarded jury will actually let this guy go. It'll probably be something like "the Xbox has too many FPS games and that made him a super elite military aiming sniper who woulda made his college the next Colombine."

      Or worse, 'video game rage'. Followed by a 1 hour TV special, 'When Gamers Go Mad!'

      • Re:Nutjob (Score:2, Funny)

        by randomizer9 ( 595107 )
        "When Gamers Go Mad!" 1 hour of gamers chucking controllers at walls! At least it would probably be more entertaining then most of UPN's lineup.

  • Elvis would've been proud (Score:3, Funny)

    by F1_Fan ( 255672 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @04:40AM (#7616601)
    A much more direct approach than shooting the TV...

  • Maybe they should do hardware exclusively (Score:5, Funny)

    by carcosa30 ( 235579 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @04:50AM (#7616638)
    cuz they sure can't make any bulletproof software.

  • Wow. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Dr. Photo ( 640363 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @04:58AM (#7616652) Journal
    When you try to shoot an Xbox and fail, it has got to be a sign.
    You need to take a deep breath, go out, and get a bigger gun.
    • Why use a gun? I'd rather use a screw driver or microwave. Just find some geekey whay to take it out. Anyone can think of poping it whith a 9. But who whold think thay you wold microwave it or disable the fans to make it overheat.

  • Batfink eat your heart out. (Score:3, Funny)

    by captainkibble ( 725355 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @05:01AM (#7616658) Homepage
    Your bullets cannot harm me! My X-Box is like a shield of steel! :)

  • Bad XBox Slogans (Score:5, Funny)

    by felonious ( 636719 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @05:03AM (#7616665) Journal
    Bad XBox Slogans:

    1)X marks the Box
    2)Sendin' shots out for all the true game playas
    3)The wrong consol-igga to fuk wit
    4)More durable than Kurt Cobain's dome
    5)Doubled vested
    kevlar injected
    makin' ya
    waste da
    mags a bullets
    forev-a
    • 6) More durable than most of the Kennedys
      7) John Hinkley Jr.'s favorite Christmas present.
      8) It takes a licking and keeps on clicking.
      9) Vin Diesel is XXXBox
      10) Ohio drivers prefer the XBox.

  • 9mm = pussy pistol (Score:5, Interesting)

    by mrshowtime ( 562809 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @05:09AM (#7616678)
    The xbox is a pretty thick bit of hardware. A 9mm bullet does not have that much "stopping power" Now a .44 would have done the job right :) "It's an 88 magnum. It shoots through schools."

    • Re:9mm = pussy pistol (Score:5, Interesting)

      by sigxcpu ( 456479 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @07:55AM (#7617103)
      A pistol bullet is made of lead (=soft when thinking of a collision at about the speed of sound).

      All you need to stop it is to have it hit something hard that is x10 heavier.
      A power supply would do the job quite well.
      What you get then is a lot of shrapnel flying everywhere, but a thick layer of plastic will stop that.

      (I am a physicist and I have done lots of tests involving 9mm bullets)
      BTW a thick book will stop even an M-16 5.56 round.

      • Re:9mm = pussy pistol (Score:3, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward
        BTW a thick book will stop even an M-16 5.56 round.

        Good to know the bible can actually save my life!
      • (I am a physicist and I have done lots of tests involving 9mm bullets)

        I always suspected that you physicists were plotting, up to no good.
      • BTW a thick book will stop even an M-16 5.56 round.

        Got to be a really fat book, I guess...
        Maybe something with a pagecount like Marcel Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past".

        • I've heard this said before. My understanding is that something along the lines of a typical 3-5 inch think telephone directory is deal for stopping a high-powered rifle round.

          While we're on the subject, the caliber of the bullet has a lot less to do with what a bullet ends up doing than the exact brand and type of ammo involved, the gun it was fired from, the shooter's technique, and the point/angle of impact. e.g. A low-powered "target practice" plain lead .44 mag round coming out a short-barrelled pis
          • When I did my military service i put a 5.56x45mm NATO FMJ from one of these [world.guns.ru] through a 25cm thick pinetree...
            But I guess a tree is less compact than stacked paper, so who knows?
            Under any circumstances, I would recommend being very careful around firearms.
      • Obviously he should've remembered to spray his bullets with teflon first.
      • BTW a thick book will stop even an M-16 5.56 round.

        I'll have to remember that the next time I'm robbing a library.
        • No, I think that information would be more useful if you happened to be in a library that was being robbed. Just use duct-tape to create a makeshift vest out of thick books, and you'll be fine.
      • (I am a physicist and I have done lots of tests involving 9mm bullets)

        Freeman, weren't you supposed to be in the test chamber an hour ago?
      • That'd have to be an extremely thick book! I shot 2 3" phone books (stacked together on the ground) with a .22lr from an 18" barrel and it went completely through the first and 1/3 into the second.

        A .223Rem/5.56 Nato has more than 10X the power of a "high velocity" .22lr, and I've seen them nearly penetrate 1" thick Aluminum blocks, using standard FMJ ammo.
    • I'm not sure I agree, but I can't wait for the Ars Technica article on shooting game systems.
    • Here is some more info for you on different ammunition...

      Read the comments and take it all with a grain (no pun intended) of salt.

      http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/8/23/175329/1 97

  • Ammo for the special interests (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @05:26AM (#7616718)
    99% of all Xbox games involve guns. That combined with this incident is sure to rile up a certain segment of the population.

    • Re:Ammo for the special interests (Score:5, Funny)

      by neglige ( 641101 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @05:43AM (#7616752)
      99% of all Xbox games involve guns. That combined with this incident is sure to rile up a certain segment of the population.

      Yeah, I'm sure police stations all over the world will be equipped with a Xbox now... :)
    • Considering there are about 380 XBOX games and 89 sports games have been published for the system, its safe to say that quite a bit less than 99% of the system's games involve guns.

      This is less a comment on the original post and more about whoever modded it insightful instead of funny. This proves that hate and ignorance are alive and kicking on slashdot and that the games section has left too much power in the hands in the fanboy fringe. I say kill the games section or remove the moderation. The game

  • Only in America! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @05:53AM (#7616770)
    In lesser countries we would just crush the thing with large boots and a rigourous kicking action!

  • Well he was aiming at the GameCube... (Score:5, Funny)

    by AvantLegion ( 595806 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @06:27AM (#7616859) Journal
    ... but he couldn't miss the Xbox.

  • BulletProof? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Robmonster ( 158873 ) <slashdot.journal2.store@neverbox.com> on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @06:38AM (#7616881) Journal
    They say it was bulletproof, yet it disabled the system...?

    Seems to me that bullet did something......

    • Yes, bulletproof. (Score:2, Insightful)

      by BZArcher ( 598958 )
      Shock and expansion damage. Even if the bullet was stopped, there's a hell of a lot of force to get distributed. All bulletproof means is that it didn't penetrate.

      Now, that said, that doesn't mean that they couldn't turn it back on...

      My thoughts? The damn thing is made of kevlar.
    • The gunman tried to install third party hardware.
    • They say it was bulletproof, yet it disabled the system...?

      Dont know why they said it disabled the system but if you read the article it does not mention anything about it being disabled.

  • Obviously the Warthog .... (Score:3, Funny)

    by dustpuppy ( 5260 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @10:17AM (#7617835)
    in Halo is made of the same material as the Xbox!
  • We need pics of an xbox barbeque.
  • The article says that he "fired a single gunshot to the gaming system disabling it" it then goes on to say that the "gunshot did not penetrate the system" and "Kersey has been charged with ... destruction of property"

    My question is if he didn't penetrate the case of the XBox, yet he still disabled it and is being charged with destruction of property, what did he hit?

    Fancy shooting that took out the controller, or shot out the power cord. Maybe he aimed at the XBox and hit the TV. That would disable my a

  • Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @12:49PM (#7619268)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Microsoft is going to use this as an example of their new dedication to security. They are going to show how there are no Linux boxes that have demonstrated they can stop a bullet.

  • Grabity (Score:3, Funny)

    by Sentry21 ( 8183 ) on Wednesday December 03, 2003 @02:21PM (#7620174) Journal
    Probably the bullet just didn't have the speed necessary to escape the XBox's gravity.

    --Dan
  • Although, next year we might have to add an Xbox to the suite of hardware being shot at [rtor.net] during our Independence Day celebrations.

    Last year, we decided to find out just how tough a Toughbook is. Turns out they'll stop small handgun rounds with no problem. A .22 just leaves a dent, and the 9mm rounds went through the first layer of the screen casing but not the rest of the machine. The .410 shotgun left some cool marks in the paint. Anything larger went right through.

    The question is, did the hard drive in t
  • It's just a flesh wound!!! :)

  • Bullet physics (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Real life bullet physics != movie and video game bullet physics.

    I have a friend who is a cop told me that when a bullet strikes a wall, it rarely goes through the wall or ricochets (speilling?). When a bullet strikes a wall it normally hits the wall and then scoots across the wall in the direction that the bullet is spinning, so it is possible to be shot if you are standing along a wall that is struck with a bullet.

    Im guessing a a similar thing happened in this instance.

  • that idiot probably shot it with a Light Gun
  • Good ole Xbox. So it served a purpose other than Halo, KotoR, and Fable.
  • I think a 9mm would have better stopping power against a game console made of flesh [imdb.com].
  • This is exactly why we need to keep our right to bare arms. What would this world would be like if we weren't able to shoot our home appliances.... speaking of which I think I've got a slug with my toaster's name on it.

  • did he hit the broad side of the X-barn?

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