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Three dead in shooting at video game tournament in Florida

Shooting reported at Madden 19 Tournament.

Steven Musil Night Editor / News
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Steven Musil
2 min read
game-shooting

The GLHF Game Bar in Jacksonville, Florida.

GLHF Game Bar/Facebook

Three people died and another 11 were injured after a gunman opened fire at a video game tournament Sunday in Jacksonville, Florida, law enforcement officials say.

The suspected shooter, believed to be 24-year-old David Katz of Baltimore, was among the dead, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said during a news conference, adding that authorities didn't believe there were any additional suspects. Williams declined to discuss a possible motive, but the Los Angeles Times reported the shooter was a gamer who was competing in the tournament and lost.

The identities of the victims weren't disclosed.

The shooting occurred around 1:34 p.m. ET at the Jacksonville Landing marketplace in downtown Jacksonville during the Madden 19 Tournament at the GLHF Game Bar inside the Chicago Pizza restaurant. At least a dozen shots could be heard fired on a livestream originating from the event.

The tournament was the first of four planned qualifier events before the Madden finals in Las Vegas in October. EA Sports, publisher of the Madden game franchise and organizer of the events, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on what its plans were for the remaining three events, the first of which is scheduled for next weekend in Dulles, Virginia.

CompLexity Gaming , a professional gaming team, had a player at the event. One Madden player, Young Drini, was grazed in the hand and is away from the scene and safe, Complexity reported.

Drini tweeted about being thankful for his life after the shooting. "I will never take anything for granted ever again," he wrote.

EA Sports issued a statement on Twitter expressing its condolences.

"This is a horrible situation, and our deepest sympathies go out to all involved," EA Sports said.

First published Aug. 27, 11:49 a.m. PT.
Update, 1:35 p.m. PT: Adds information about casualties.
Update, 4:40 p.m. PT: Adds further information about casualties.

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