Two Killed in Shooting at Jacksonville Landing Video Game Tournament

Two Killed in Shooting at Jacksonville Landing Video Game Tournament

Two people were killed and several others were injured by a gunman at a Madden 19 tournament in Jacksonville, Fla.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Aug 27, 2018

Two people were killed and 11 others were injured when a gunman open fired in a restaurant hosting an esports video game tournament on Sunday, August 25.

Fifty to 100 people were gathered inside a restaurant at The Landing, an open-air marketplace in Jacksonville, Fla., when shots rang out. Calls to 911 were placed at 1:34 p.m. and first responders arrived on the scene two minutes later.

According to police, there were three deceased people at the scene when they arrived — two victims and the suspected shooter, a 24-year-old white male who police believe traveled from Baltimore, Md. to participate in the Madden 19 video game tournament. Police have not released a motive for the shooting, but did say the suspect brought at least one handgun to carry out the shooting.

Nine victims were transferred to local hospitals with gun shot wounds. Two others got themselves to a hospital with injuries stemming from the mass chaos of the event.

The shooting unfolded in the middle of the tournament, while it was being livestreamed on Twitch, a popular video game streaming website. The video captured audio of the incident as it happened: people screaming, shots ringing out, one person cried out, "What did he shoot me with?"

Police worked closely with ATF and law enforcement in Baltimore as they closed in on the suspect's home in Maryland. Police believe that the gunman came to Jacksonville with the sole intention of participating in the video game tournament, but it was not immediately clear if he had taken a flight with his gun checked. Investigators were also looking for clues as to where he stayed the night before the tournament.

The shooting is the last in a long string of public mass shootings in Florida: a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland earlier this year; five people were gunned down at the Fort Lauderdale airport last year; and 49 people were shot dead at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016.

"We have got to change," Gov. Rick Scott told reporters on Sunday night. "We've got to really stop and say to ourselves: there's something wrong. Why are young men willing to give up their life, or why don't they value somebody else's life?"

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    Perimeter Security Standards for Multi-Site Businesses

    When you run or own a business that has multiple locations, it is important to set clear perimeter security standards. By doing this, it allows you to assess and mitigate any potential threats or risks at each site or location efficiently and effectively. Read Now

  • New Research Shows a Continuing Increase in Ransomware Victims

    GuidePoint Security recently announced the release of GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team’s (GRIT) Q1 2024 Ransomware Report. In addition to revealing a nearly 20% year-over-year increase in the number of ransomware victims, the GRIT Q1 2024 Ransomware Report observes major shifts in the behavioral patterns of ransomware groups following law enforcement activity – including the continued targeting of previously “off-limits” organizations and industries, such as emergency hospitals. Read Now

  • OpenAI's GPT-4 Is Capable of Autonomously Exploiting Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

    According to a new study from four computer scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, OpenAI’s paid chatbot, GPT-4, is capable of autonomously exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities without any human assistance. Read Now

  • Getting in Someone’s Face

    There was a time, not so long ago, when the tradeshow industry must have thought COVID-19 might wipe out face-to-face meetings. It sure seemed that way about three years ago. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises. 3

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings. 3