'Condolences Aren't Enough.' The Gaming Community Responds After Deadly Jacksonville Madden Shooting
The video game community is coming together — and calling for policies that could curtail mass violence — after tragedy struck a video game tournament in Florida on Sunday.
The gunman, who police believe to have been 24-year-old David Katz of Baltimore, allegedly opened fire at EA Sports’ Madden NFL 19 championship series in Jacksonville, killing two people and injuring at least 11 more. Katz, who EA Sports confirmed was a winner at last year’s tournament, was also found dead at the scene with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“The tragic situation that occurred Sunday in Jacksonville was a senseless act of violence that we strongly condemn,” EA Sports tweeted after the incident unfolded. “Our most heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of the victims whose lives were taken today and those who were injured.”
— EA SPORTS Madden NFL (@EAMaddenNFL) August 27, 2018
Others from the gaming community joined EA in offering condolences to the victims’ loved ones, while some called for stricter gun control regulations. Some gamers also alluded to the pervasive belief that playing violent video games can cause or contribute to mass shootings — a complicated claim that science has neither concretely proved nor fully debunked.
Here’s how some in the gaming community are responding.
My heart goes out to the family, friends and people affected by the madden shooting today. Evil times we live in, just need to out shine that evil with positivity.
Love you all— Ninja (@Ninja) August 26, 2018
What kind of person goes to a local Madden tournament- where a group of people playing video games and find a moment of escape outside of their real world cycle, to murder them? Unbelievable.
Condolences aren't enough, I can only hope anyone affected by this is okay.— James Landino (@JamesLandino) August 26, 2018
I’ve attended countless local gaming tournaments all across this country, in all sorts of different games and communities, and never once did I fear for my life.
Gun violence in America does not discriminate and comes for us all eventually.
It is well beyond time this changed.— Jared Rea (@jaredr) August 26, 2018
A shooting in Jacksonville. This time at a video game tournament.
The shooter? A player who lost...
Remember, at the end of the day, games are entertainment.
Your skill is NOT a reflection of your self worth.
And at NO point should games EVER be used to justify violence.— MatPat (@MatPatGT) August 26, 2018
In the wake of this gun shooting with guns, people are going to want to talk about games instead of guns, a lack of security instead of guns, toxicity instead of guns, a culture of violence instead of guns. Don't. Talk about guns. It's guns.
— David Milner (@DaveMilbo) August 26, 2018