The case was dismissed in 2002 . The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it was " simply too far a leap from shooting characters on a video screen to shooting people in a classroom . " The same year , an identical case was brought against the same companies by the family of the teacher killed in the Columbine High School massacre . It was dismissed in 2002 . Both Thompson and United States Attorney General John Ashcroft claimed Carneal 's proficient marksmanship was due to practice in violent video games
Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
Heath High School shooting