During a qualifier game for the EA Madden 19 Classic Major, an esports event, something unthinkable happened. In the middle of one of the games, someone opened fire into the crowd. While things are still developing, it has been confirmed that at least four people are dead, including the suspect, and eleven are injured.
The incident occurred at the Chicago Pizza in Jacksonville Landing, Florida around 10:35 am ET. Right before the shooting took place, things seemed normal. Two players were competing against each other at a gaming themed bar inside the establishment, the GLHF Game Bar, and the qualifying tournament was all broadcast on Twitch. Because of the public nature of the tournament, the shooting can be heard as the tragedy unfolded. While the shooting itself can’t be seen, during the broadcast, you can hear the screams of people as they try to get out of the restaurant as the gunman continues to open fire into the crowd. Even more terrifying, right before the shooting unfolds, you can even see the red dot of the shooter’s gun aiming at one of the players on stage.
One of the players at the event, Drini Gjoka, was in the room where it happened, and posted on Twitter about the incident right around the time that it happened.
Although Grojka ended up getting out relatively safely, he was still hit in the thumb by one of the bullets.
“It’s scary that you could be having a good time and someone just starts shooting,” said one mother whose son was at the establishment at the time of the shooting.
At the moment, there is an ongoing police investigation, and for now, we do not know the motivation of the shooter, or who the shooter was. Mayor Lenny Curry and Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams will be making a statement on the situation later today, so we will know more facts once that press conference happens.