Earlier in the week, EA Sports CEO Andrew Wilson announced that all Madden Classic qualifying events were canceled after a competitor killed two players and injured 10 others during a Jacksonville-based tournament.
Madden Classic qualifying events were scheduled throughout September in Virginia, Texas, and California. The main Madden Classic event, scheduled for Oct. 11 and 12, will be held in Las Vegas. In a statement posted to the EA Sports website today, Madden Commissioner Matt Marcou wrote that he’s confident the Madden community will return “stronger” as it moves forward from the events, while remembering the loss of Taylor “spotmeplzzz” Robertson and Eli “Trueboy” Clayton.
Related: Remaining Madden Classic qualifying events canceled after Jacksonville shooting
“The following is certain: the Madden NFL Championship Series will return,” Marcou wrote. “We love this game and this community.”
Marcou and the EA Sports team will share updates as to what’s next “in the coming days,” Marcou wrote. He did not comment further on upcoming Madden events.
“I write this today with a heavy heart, yet thoughts filled with hope,” Marcou wrote. “Since Sunday’s horrific and tragic actions occurred in Jacksonville, all of us have experienced grief, confusion, and outrage. This impacts all of us, not just our Madden family, but the entire gaming community.”
EA Sports will use the time before the upcoming events to “run a comprehensive review of safety protocols,” Wilson said earlier in the week. “We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events,” the EA Sports CEO added.
David Katz opened fire on the Madden Championship Series event on Aug. 26. He killed himself on-site. Police said Katz had two handguns and extra ammo when he entered the GLHF Game Bar on Sunday. One handgun had an “after market” laser sight attached. He only used one weapon in the shooting, police added.
During a press conference earlier in the week, Jacksonville sheriff Mike Williams said Katz was “clearly” targeting other gamers at the event. Katz reportedly walked past other patrons in the front of Chicago Pizza, where the GLHF Game Bar is located, before shooting towards his fellow Madden competitors.
