The Guardian (UK) is reporting that the Matrix is killing more than Keanu Reeve's career. They report on several deranged individuals who thought they were living inside the Matrix. In one of the cases they cite, a teenager went out and bought a gun and murdered his parents, just like Neo did in the movie.

Josh Cooke, a 19-year-old in Oakton, Virginia, owned a trenchcoat like the one worn by Neo, the character played by Keanu Reeves in the movie, and kept a poster of his hero on his bedroom wall. Then he bought a gun similar to the one used by Neo to fight evil.

In February, he shot his father and mother in the basement of their home and then called the police. His lawyers say he believed that he was living inside the Matrix.

I wonder just what gun Mr. Cooke allegedly used to shoot his parents. Neo used several pistols, and small submachine guns, neither of which is available to teenagers in Virginia. But then, according to some folks, a gun is a gun is a gun.

I also find it interesting that the teen shot his folks in February, but was supposedly inspired by a movie that debuted in May. Unless of course, he was inspired by the original Matrix movie that came out in 1999. Perhaps he'd just gotten around to renting it.

BTW, I thought that thing Neo wore in 'Reloaded' looked more like a dress than a trench coat.