The families of two people whose cars were shot at by teenage fans of Grand Theft Auto III have filed a lawsuit against SCEA, Take-Two, Rockstar Games, and US retail giant Wal-Mart.

The families of two people whose cars were shot at by two teenage boys as they passed through the Great Smoky Mountains on June 25 have filed a US$246 million lawsuit against Sony Computer Entertainment America, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games, and Wal-Mart. Aaron Hamel, 45, was killed and Kimberly Bede, 19, was seriously wounded when their cars were fired upon by stepbrothers William Buckner, 16, and Joshua Buckner, 14, of Newport.

The boys told investigators that they had got the rifles from a locked room in their home and then started shooting at vehicles on Interstate 40 just like in Grand Theft Auto III--which it's worth noting is an M-rated game that neither of them should have been playing. The stepbrothers are currently serving an indefinite term in state custody after pleading guilty to reckless homicide, endangerment, and assault in juvenile court in August.

The suit filed earlier this week alleges that Grand Theft Auto III inspires and trains players to shoot at vehicles and persons, and claims that the game's designers, marketers, and retailers are liable for US$46 million in compensatory damages and US$200 million in punitive damages. We'll bring you more information on this story as it becomes available.