A gunman opened fire at the Madden Championship Series southeast qualifier in Jacksonville, Florida earlier today.
WJXT reporter Vic Micolucci says that multiple people have been shot and there are fatalities at the Jacksonville Landing. The restaurant manager told Micolucci that “everyone is on lockdown.”
CompLexity owner Jason Lake quote tweeted coL Madden player Drini Gjoka, who said, “The tourney just got shot up. I’m leaving and never coming back.” Lake then tweeted that a coL player—later confirmed to be Gjoka—had been shot in the thumb. He is now safe and away from the scene, according to compLexity.
Another victim of this tragic incident is Bucks Gaming NBA 2K League player Timothy “oLARRY” Anselimo. His mother said that her son was shot three times. Madden player BucTillIDie tweeted that Anselimo was shot in the chest and hand.
There have also been stream clips of the event where viewers could hear at least a dozen gunshots and several people screaming, including a person saying, “Oh, f**k. What did he shoot me with?” (The clip can be viewed here. Viewer discretion is advised.)
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that one suspect is dead at the scene. In a brief public statement, Jacksonville sheriff Mike Williams confirmed there are no outstanding suspects and the lone suspect, an unidentified white male, is dead at the scene. There are “deceased victims at the scene and injured people at the hospital,” Williams also confirmed.
Madden player SteveyJ told esports reporter Rod Breslau that after the suspect lost in the tournament, he opened fire on multiple people before turning the gun on himself.
EA released a statement on Twitter following the incident, saying, “We are aware of an incident at a sanctioned Madden Championship Series competition in Jacksonville. We are working with authorities to gather facts at this stage.”
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Update Aug. 26 6:32pm CT: In a second public statement, sheriff Williams said the shooter is believed to be 24-year-old David Katz from Baltimore, Maryland. Williams said there were three dead on the scene, including Katz. There were 14 victims in total, 12 with gunshot wounds. There are reports that the FBI has raided Katz’s home in Baltimore.
Update Aug. 26 10:34pm CT: Of the six shooting victims admitted into UF Health Jacksonville, four have been discharged, according to the hospital’s website. The other two victims remain in the hospital, with one in good condition and the other in serious condition.
