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Title: Ukiah boy arrested after fantasy game hit list goes too far
Source: Associated Press, 01/25/03
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Ukiah boy arrested after fantasy game hit list goes too far
(01-25) 12:45 PST UKIAH, Calif. (AP) --
Ukiah police arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of making a terrorist threat after they said he took a fantasy role-playing board game a bit too far.
The boy was arrested Thursday after his friend found the "hit list" containing the names of seven other young people in the community. Ukiah police arrested the boy under the impression that the list represented a threat to those named.
The boy, whose name is not being released by authorities, is an avid player of the Dungeons and Dragons board game, wherein players can cast spells on other players, make allegiances and kill their foes, all in a fantasy world.
The boy initially told police he made the list as part of the game, police said. But the boy's tone switched during an interview with authorities and he allegedly indicated the list was not a joke, said Ukiah Police Sgt. Greg Heitkamp.
"The main thing is to get him some help and bring him back to earth," Heitkamp said.
It was unclear if the boy's response to police meant he felt the game was not a joke or that the list was really meant to indicate that harm could come to his friends.