3 Dead, Including Shooter: The Latest on the Madden Tournament Shooting in Florida

3 Dead, Including Shooter: The Latest on the Madden Tournament Shooting in Florida

At least two people were killed when a gunman opened fire on a live video game tournament at a mall in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday afternoon.

The 24-year-old shooter, identified by police as David Katz of Baltimore, fired off numerous rounds during the live Electronic Arts Sports’s Madden NFL 19 championship series — fatally shooting two gamers and injuring at least 11 others, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said at a press conference Sunday evening. Aired live on Twitch TV, a gaming network, at least 12 shots could be heard during the shooting as players competed in the gaming tournament. The video game abruptly ended moments after the first shots were heard — and the audio of its horrific aftermath continued to stream live.

The suspected shooter was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Williams said. Authorities confirmed at a press conference earlier Sunday there were no other suspects in the shooting.

The scene at The Landing mall was secure several hours after the shooting after SWAT teams conducted a “methodical search” inside the shopping center. Authorities originally told patrons who were hiding inside to “stay calm.”

Here’s what we know about the mass shooting in Jacksonville.

3 dead, including suspected gunman

Police say three people were killed, including the suspected gunman, during the shooting.

Police responded to 911 calls of an active shooter at Chicago Pizza at 1:34 p.m. and were on the scene within two minutes, Williams said.

Nine victims were transported to local area hospitals, seven of whom had gunshot wounds, police said. Two other victims transported themselves to the hospital. All 11 victims are currently in stable condition, according to Williams.

The identities of the victims were not immediately released.

CompLexity Gaming, a professional gaming team sponsoring one of the players in the tournament, tweeted that he was grazed by a bullet. The player Drini Gjoka tweeted that he was “lucky” and that his thumb was hit by a bullet. “Worst day of my life,” Gjoka tweeted Sunday afternoon. “I will never take anything for granted ever again,” he added in a later tweet. “Life can be cut short in a second.”

In a tweet, Sujeil Lopez said her son, Larry, was shot three times. He is a professional player with Bucks Gaming.

She told the New York Times she did not know his condition. “I have to get him,” she told the Times. “I am four hours away from home and I have to get my son.”

A representative from GLHF Game Bar said in a Facebook message to TIME that all staff members at the bar were “safe” and “not harmed.”

Shooting suspect dead at the scene

Authorities said the sole suspect in the shooting was dead on the scene. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police worked to confirm that there weren’t any other suspects.

Police have not commented on Katz’s possible motive, though they did confirm he was a gamer in the Madden competition who “stayed somewhere locally last night, maybe a hotel,” Williams said.

The shooter used one handgun, which police are currently investigating with the help of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was not immediately known if the handgun was purchased legally or registered to Katz.

Chaos as shooting unfolded

Audio of the shooting and its immediate aftermath streamed live as viewers tuned in to the gaming tournament, painting a horrific scene as chaos unfolded.

More than 12 shots could be heard as screams of pain followed.

“What is he shooting with?” one person could be heard saying between shots.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” one person said repeatedly. “Where did he go? Where did he go? Where did he go?”

Ryen Aleman, who traveled from Texas to play in the tournament, told CNN he was watching a game when he first heard gunfire. He crouched to the floor and crawled to the bathroom as others started running, he said.

“As I was going in the restroom, I stayed in there, and I just heard — there was just so many gunshots, at least 20 of them at the most,” Aleman told CNN.

“I’m still shocked,” he told CNN. “I can hardly talk.”

Police said there were three people dead at the scene, along with the suspect, and authorities worked to transport victims to local hospitals for treatment. WJXT, a local TV station, reported that several people were taken away from the shopping mall in stretchers.

Politicians respond with federal and state resources

Florida politicians confirmed that federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were working alongside local authorities to respond to the shooting.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a tweet that he offered the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office “any state resources” needed for law enforcement efforts.

Rep. John Rutherford, a Republican who represents the Florida district that includes most of Jacksonville, tweeted that he was “horrified by what has transpired at The Landing” and told his constituents to listen to authorities.

EA Sports: ‘This is a horrible situation’

EA Sports, the video game giant, tweeted that it was “aware” of the event and was “working with authorities to gather facts.”

“This is a horrible situation, and our deepest sympathies go out to all involved,” EA Sports tweeted Sunday afternoon.

The Jacksonville gaming event is part of the “Madden NFL 19 Championship Series” from EA Sports, the NFL and ESPN. Players were competing Sunday in a qualifying round to move onto the Round of 16 held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in October.

This story will be updated.

Alix Langone and Sophia Rosenbaum contributed.