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Mass shooting reported at 'Madden' tournament in Florida

blake schuster
Yahoo Sports Contributor
Several people were killed in the mass shooting at a video game tournament in Jacksonville (via AFP)
Several people were killed in the mass shooting at a video game tournament in Jacksonville (via AFP)

Multiple people have been shot at a “Madden” NFL video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s office has confirmed the incident occurred at Jacksonville Landing early Sunday afternoon.

Multiple fatalities have been confirmed by local law enforcement including a suspect in the shooting.

Yahoo News has complete coverage here.

Sunday’s tournament was an EA Sports sanctioned qualifier for the Madden Classic main event in Las Vegas this fall, and was being held at the GLHF Game Bar downtown.

The tournament began at 11:00 a.m. ET. The shooting reportedly began two hours later around 1:00 p.m.

Sheriff Mike Williams addressed the media on the scene at 4:30 ET with preliminary findings, however more will become available as it is confirmed by local officials.

“We have no outstanding suspects at this time,” Williams said. “We have one suspect in this case. He is deceased at the scene at this point. He is a white male and we are working to confirm his identity. We have deceased victims at the scene. We also have injured people at the hospital.”

Police expect to release an official tally of those killed or injured in the shooting later in the day.

Per Williams, the scene of the shooting has been secured, however police are strongly advising those in the area to stay away while the investigation continues.

According to Abby Isaacs of WMAR, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said they believe the shooter is 24-year-old David Katz of Baltimore.

Multiple gamers on the scene have taken to social media to update their status:

Unconfirmed reports from the Los Angeles Times note the suspect was a participant who lost while competing at the tournament.

The competition was streaming live on Twitch when an unknown gunman opened fire.

Warning: disturbing content below:

The NFL released a statement on Sunday afternoon via social media.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific tragedy today in Jacksonville,” the league said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to all those affected. We are grateful for the first responders immediately on the scene. We support our partners at EA Sports and will continue to monitor developments with local law enforcement.”

Jaguars owner Shad Khan released a statement Sunday afternoon, too.

“It’s impossible to comprehend today’s news,” Khan wrote. “I’m heartbroken for the families and friends of the victims and can only express my deepest condolences as we try to understand why and how this can happen, not only here, but anywhere.

“What I can say is I know today what lifelong Jacksonville residents have known forever — we are resilient, compassionate and remarkably supportive of our neighbors and friends, particularly in the most trying occasions. This tragedy will ask the best of all of us, but I know we will respond.”

The post will be updated as more information becomes available.

A mass shooting took place at a ‘Madden’ tournament in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday.
A mass shooting took place at a ‘Madden’ tournament in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday.

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Blake Schuster is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!