Whether violence in media and entertainment lead to real-life shootings

In the action franchise “John Wick,” actor Keanu Reeves plays a former assassin who tracks down the people who broke into his home, stole from him, and killed his dog.

In the action franchise “John Wick,” actor Keanu Reeves plays a former assassin who tracks down the people who broke into his home, stole from him, and killed his dog. Credit: YouTube.

A gunman killed four people and injured 10 others at a hospital complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday. Among the dead are two doctors, one of whom performed back surgery on the gunman. Law enforcement describes the scene inside as chaotic, with hundreds of patients and staff frantically trying to get out of the building. Just hours before, the assailant had purchased an AR-15 rifle. He was found dead at the scene with a self-inflicted wound. 

The incident in Tulsa is the latest mass shooting after Buffalo and Uvalde. The U.S. is steeped in gun culture, and much of that mythology comes from what we see in film, TV, and video games. Is there a link between media violence and gun violence? 

Credits

Guest:

  • Dan Romer - research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Angie Perrin, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Brian Hardzinski, Bennett Purser, Marcelle Hutchins, Nihar Patel