Italian Teen, Named Mario, Stabs Dad Over Gaming

In Rome, a teenager named Mario stabbed his dad in a dispute over a video game. No, seriously. According to Reuters, the father is now recovering in a hospital, after his son stabbed him with a 15-inch kitchen knife. Reportedly the 16-year old terror and Mushroom Kingdom native went on the attack during an argument over FIFA 2009 for the Playstation (2 or 3).

Apparently, papa Fabrizio, 46, was trying to give his son advice on the game, but for some reason turned the television off in response to his son’s behavior. Mario then allegedly fetched the knife, stabbed his dad in the neck — and here’s where it gets really crazy — cleaned the knife in front of his mother, left it in the kitchen’s drying rack and retreated to his bedroom. Monica, Mario’s mother, wasn’t any the wiser until father stumbled into the kitchen, clutching his neck and bleeding. Mario didn’t resist arrest when the cops showed up.

Here’s the money quote, sure to be circulated by Jack Thompson, et al: “Mario is obsessed,” Monica said. “He’s forever playing on his Playstation, and we bought him FIFA 2009 because we didn’t want him playing violent games.” Is it too soon to joke about a life of mushrooms and stomping on heads? [Reuters via The Kartel]