Insets: Beau Lieurance (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office/KSAZ/YouTube). Background: The Arizona home where Beau Lieurance allegedly pulled a gun on his mom and another person (KSAZ/YouTube).
An Arizona man says he pulled an assault rifle on his mother during a fight over his “entitlement” to “part of the house” that they live in. The man allegedly pointed the gun at his mom and pulled the trigger but it didn’t go off, with prosecutors saying his anger may have been fueled by a “Total War” video game he plays 50 to 60 hours a week.
“I finally became fed up,” Beau Lieurance, 28, reportedly said while appearing in court on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a weapon during the commission of a felony, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
“It was my part of the house which I haven’t gained entitlement to over the last seven years,” Lieurance proclaimed, according to local Fox affiliate KSAZ.
The Scottsdale man is accused of pointing an assault rifle at his mother and an “elderly” man who was staying at their home. It’s unclear whether he knew the gun would not go off, with prosecutors pointing to mental health issues and Lieurance’s obsession with video games as possibly being to blame, KSAZ reports.
“There are allegations that he currently plays a video game titled Total War,” said a Maricopa County prosecutor in court. “He plays that approximately 50 to 60 hours per week. There are concerns with the people that he plays with … that are based, possibly in North Africa, that have ties to Islamic extremists.”
Lieurance told the court that the charges and accusations against him are “completely false” and that it is he who is actually the victim.
“It was very obvious to any neighbor you could ask of that it was an intimidation for three to four days,” Lieurance said. “I believe that certain liquids was laced in some of my drinks.”
The prosecutor who spoke to the court said that Lieurance admitted to cops that he has “secret apps on his phone that he uses to communicate with individuals that he is playing Total War with.” Lieurance’s reply: “That’s completely false.”
Total War is a strategy video game series that has multiple titles and genres which feature an “exhilarating mix of turn-based empire building and colossal real-time battles.”
Lieurance was being held on a cash bond of $100,000 on Monday and was ordered to stay away from his mother and their home.
