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Just days after the Aurora shooting claimed the lives of 12 people and injured 58 others, "here stand two little kids with rifles in their hands shooting at this game." (AP Photo/File)

One man, one phone call, and one less violent arcade game

BY Alyssa Kleven  on January 29, 2013 @ 9:56 am (Updated: 10:51 am - 1/29/13 )

It only took one phone call to make a difference.

A man in Yonkers, New York didn't have a good feeling when just after the Aurora, Colo. shooting he walked into his local mega-chain movieplex and saw the arcade game "Buck Hunter" on prominent display and in use by kids.

"You can't help but see it." Richard Reitnauer told KIRO Radio's Andrew Walsh Show that it's where your eyes travel as soon as you walk in the brand new movie complex near his home.

Just days after the Aurora shooting claimed the lives of 12 people and injured 58 others, "here stand two little kids with rifles in their hands shooting at this game."

It wouldn't be the last time Reitnauer walked through the lobby of this movie theater to see young kids shooting the pretend rifles at the game. Every time he walked passed he would mumble to his partner how inappropriate it seemed.

Finally, after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School - just an hour away from Yonkers - he decided enough was enough.

He told his partner he'd write a letter to the editor of the local paper about his frustration about the gun-aimed game in the movie theater.

But, it wouldn't be fair to go on the attack without reaching out to the theater first.

"I called, and got right through," Reitnauer said. He figured he'd be disappointed with the result of his conversation. Instead, he was surprised. The man said he'd get back to him about the request, but since it was few days before Christmas it might take some time.

The wait was worth it - when he got the call back from the man, they had already pulled "Buck Hunter" from the movie theater.

Now that movie theater chain has plans to meet with their video game vendor and examine if the game should be taken out or left in other theaters - on a case by case basis.

"I wanted to take one step and be an example."

It turns out sometimes one phone call is all you need when you want to get something done.

Alyssa Kleven, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Alyssa Kleven is an editor and content producer at MyNorthwest.com. She enjoys doting over her adorable dachshund Winnie - named for Arcade Fire front-man Win Butler.
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Comments (5)


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  • Cbrew wrote...
    Way to go, the violent crime on deer may finally come to an end....
    January 29, 2013 10:43 am
    Are you kidding me moron? You had a Deer hunting game removed from a theater because you thought it was too violent? Wow, this is a stupid person... a person with zero intellect. Any person that blames video games or music for violence in America is a facking idiot. Violent actions aren't caused by video games they're caused by terrible parents not teaching their kids values... Terrible parents are what's wrong with this country's kids.. I sincerely hope people don't start thinking this kind of stupid reaction will stop violence because in reality these kinds of games have been around for DECADES!!!! In the 60's and 70's they had duck hunting games etc. this guy is as stupid as they come.
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  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    Remember Oprah's big beef lawsuit?
    January 29, 2013 11:13 am
    Richard Reitnauer should prepare for a lawsuit from BMI gaming.

    Just sayin'...

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  • Pair o'dimes wrote...
    simple answers for simple people
    January 29, 2013 12:02 pm
    Guns are the problem. Bad parents are the problem. Video games and violent movies are the problem. A lack of mental health care could be the problem, or maybe it's the military style weapons with high capacity clips. Irresponsible gun owners are the problem, or maybe it's a loss of respect for human life. It could be gun shows and a lack of comprehensive background checks and registration, or perhaps we just need to repeal the second amendment. Pick one answer and you would be partly wrong. Or right. It's time to stop assuming that any one factor is the whole answer, and stop blaming everyone else for the problem. We have seen good parents fail to secure their guns. We have seen the mentally ill able to buy guns. We have children killing children because they feel a need to prove they exist. If gun rights groups wanted to take the air out of the anti-gun arguments, they should be leading the way on background checks and requiring their members to secure their weapons. Anti-gun groups need to look at cultural issues that are part of the problem. Instead we hide behind the first or second amendment while the carnage continues. No one answer will stop it. But both sides share the responsibility to reduce gun deaths.
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  • Snout wrote...
    His "partner???"
    January 29, 2013 12:18 pm
    Big surprise there. Come on, dude. It's a hunting game. Why not get rid Pac Man while you're at it. That game promotes violence against fruits.
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  • Cbrew wrote...
    What about duck hunt on NES
    January 29, 2013 12:29 pm
    That game had kids shooting 8 bit ducks and even a dog!!!! or what about Super Mario brothers which taught kids if you eat mushrooms you'll become super strong. My Goodness, They're promoting drug use!!!! I used to play Atari and i remember playing a game where you swung on vines and crossed over water with aligators in the water... I'm shocked i've never tried jumping over real gators as a hobby... How did i survive... the stupidity of some people amazes me.
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