Call of Duty cited in search for hallucinating Marine

The videogames industry finds itself once again pulled back into the glare of the media spotlight this week following reports suggesting that a missing Iraq war veteran in Florida experienced flashbacks and hallucinations after playing a war-based shooter. Missing post-traumatic ex-Marine was playing Call of Duty prior to his disappearance, say concerned family and friends.

Missing post-traumatic ex-Marine was playing Call of Duty prior to his disappearance, say concerned family and friends.Family and friends of missing Eric W. Hall, a former Marine seriously injured in Fallujah back in 2004, believe he is suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome and that the interaction with Call of Duty may have dredged up disturbing memories related to his time during the conflict.Relatives say that, prior to the Marine’s disappearance on Feb 03, he was pretending his hand was a gun in order to take aim and shoot at imaginary people. According to The Herald Tribune, 24-year-old Hall had recently stopped taking pain medication for injuries sustained when he was caught in an explosion that almost blew off one of his legs. With pins, rods and plates utilised during reconstruction, Hall was left with a permanent limp and also horrific memories of the attack, which include the decapitation and death of his best friend.Concerned family members are now searching desperately for Hall, having printed up fliers sporting his likeness and driving around the local area to talk with anyone who may have information related to his sudden disappearance.Officials from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s office found Hall’s abandoned motorbike on Feb 03 at Sulstone Drive and Pasadena Terrace. Nearby residents later reported hearing a man shouting in a wooded area close to where the motorbike was discovered. A fire was also reported in the same area. According to those who know Hall, if the ex-Marine doesn’t wish to be located then authorities may have some difficulty in finding him.“He’s a Marine,” said Courtney Birge, the wife of Hall’s cousin, “He knows how to survive off the land and find food.”Although reports do not indicate which Call of Duty game Hall was playing prior to his disappearance, it is likely, given its close association with the Iraq war in terms of content accuracy, that it was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.