College Student Sets Himself on Fire After Dad Tells Him to Stop Gaming
A 22-year-old college student in Taiwan reportedly set himself on fire and burned to death after his dad criticized his online gaming habit. Xue Jun-Chen's remains were found near his home next to some empty gasoline containers, the Daily Mail reported.
An argument apparently started when Xue's dad told nagged him to stop playing games and get some sleep, which turned into a fight about his gaming habit in general. The next morning, Hseuh wasn't in his room.
Friends and teachers were shocked, and described Xue as a happy person and a good student. According to the Daily Mail, a police spokesman attributed the suicide to "the pressure of his studies and finding a job after graduation"—the gaming argument was apparently the last straw.
Taiwan's United Daily News reported Xue studied digital media design at Chienkuo Technology University, and was near the top of his class, receiving scholarships each semester. A dean said he was always early to school and always had a smile on his face.
Xue was home from school for winter break, and his dad told Apple Daily he rarely slept or went out, instead playing video games all night. He didn't think his son took his nagging too hard, and certainly didn't expect him to walk outside around midnight and self-immolate using the family's petrol reserves.
The Xues live in the mountains, where it's tough to buy gas, United Daily News reported, explaining why they just happened to have gas cans lying around.