A video clip circulating after the Madden shooting in Jacksonville, Florida appears to show a red laser pointer landing on one gamer. Be forewarned that the video is disturbing. The names of the victims have not yet been released by authorities, who say there are two deaths as a result of the now neutralized active shooter.
The gunman was identified as David Katz, 24, a gamer from Maryland; witnesses said he was upset that he lost during the tournament.
The video clip horrified people who saw it. “Oh my god there was a laser you can see clearly in this video. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the other affected by this disgusting horrible senseless tragedy things need to change in this country,” wrote one person on Twitter.
Here is the clip in which the red laser pointer appears:
The tournament was streaming on Twitch when the laser pointer was spotted and audio captured the sounds of gunfire. You can watch that video here.
Here’s what you need to know:
Two People Died During the Rampage, Authorities Say
We ask that anyone in the area during the Jax Landing incident who may have information contact #JSO at 904-630-0500 or 866-845-TIPS. Email info to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org”>JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org
The mass shooting occurred at a Madden video game tournament in Jacksonville and reportedly left three people dead and more wounded. The casualty count includes the shooter, who was also reported to be dead at the scene.
Some fans are concerned about a gamer named Eli Clayton “Trueboy,” because they think the red dot was pointing to him, but this has not been confirmed. According to Polygon, “In the video, competitors Wesley ‘Joe Rice’ Gittens and Eli ‘True’ Clayton are playing. A red dot, apparently a laser targeting sight, can be seen on Clayton briefly before the screen drops the competitors’ images and the shooting begins.” Shots and screams ring out.
“Oh f**, what’d he shoot me with?” one victim yells out in the video. That person’s identity is not yet clear.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the shooter is believed by one competitor to have been a disgruntled gamer who didn’t win.
You can read more about the concerns about Clayton here.
This is the Twitter account of the guy in the red shirt who had a laser pointer pointed at him. His status is unknown. t.co/wDTIMLYKkU
The Jacksonville County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the mass shooting, writing, “Mass shooting at the Jacksonville Landing. Stay far away from the area. The area is not safe at this time. STAY AWAY #TheLandingMassShooting.”
Without clarification, the Sheriff’s Department also wrote, “There are inaccurate numbers being distributed by local and national media. This is fluid and as soon as we have confirmed numbers they will be released. Please remember this Twitter @JSOPIO is the only official source of information.”
The Sheriff’s Department reported that the single suspect was dead at the scene but has not yet named him. “We are finding many people hiding in locked areas at The Landing. We ask you to stay calm, stay where you are hiding. SWAT is doing a methodical search inside The Landing. We will get to you. Please don’t come running out,” authorities wrote early on in the incident.
You can read more about the Jacksonville shooting here. The shooting occurred at a qualifying event for the Madden 19 Tournament that was being held at the GLHF Game Bar.
People expressed prayers for the victims on social media:
God Bless to the people in Jacksonville that were killed in that shooting all they was doing was playing madden #PrayForJacksonville
So sad to hear about what happened in Jacksonville at the madden tournament. Prayers go out to the families
