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Man Chokes Neighbor Teen Who 'Shot' His Character in 'Call of Duty'

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on October 06, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A Call of Duty attack doesn't seem like such an odd thing. But when it involves a grown man, a 13-year-old child, and an internet network, it becomes a bit more suspect.

Mark Bradford, 46, pleaded guilty to such an assault this week in front of magistrates in Plymouth, England. He was accused of choking a teenage neighbor after a rousing game of Call of Duty: Black Ops.

The kid shot his character, and the father of three retaliated.

Granted, he claims that the unnamed teen had been taunting him all day, reports the Daily Mirror. The two often played over the PlayStation Network, using microphones to converse. Gloating about the death of his Call of Duty character was the last straw.

An enraged Mark Bradford reportedly marched over to a neighbor's house, walked in and grabbed the teen's throat. He then left.

The teen was relatively unharmed, and Bradford has since apologized, according to MSNBC.

Because he has yet to be sentenced, it's unclear how the U.K. system will handle the Call of Duty attack.

If Bradford had strangled the teen in the U.S., he probably would serve a relatively short jail term. He didn't cause any serious injuries and was technically provoked. Prison overcrowding also leaves little room for misdemeanor offenders.

Prosecutors would also likely opt for probation and mandatory anger management counseling. This would probably include a temporary ban on Call of Duty and other war games--especially when played with minors.

Indeed, if Mark Bradford lived in the United States, this like would be his final Call of Duty attack for quite some time.

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