4 dead in mass
shooting in Jacksonville
Multiple injuries at scene of gaming tournament
Shooting scene in Jacksonville, Florida (courtesy
News4Jax)
It’s a chaotic scene as police authorities in Jacksonville,
Florida, assess the deaths, injuries and whether multiple gunmen might be
involved in a mass shooting attack at a live-streamed sports gaming tournament
that has already claimed the lives of at least four.
One suspect is among the dead, as police search the
Jacksonville Landing area to determine if any other attackers may have been
involved. They are reportedly encountering frightened people behind locked
doors at every turn.
Police urged everyone to stay away from the area because
it is not safe. At least 12 shots were heard by witnesses.
Witnesses said they saw several people being taken out on
stretchers.
Wounded victims have been taken to Memorial Hospital,
where three victims were reported in stable condition.
The shooting began inside a game room at the Good Luck
and Have Fun Game Bar during a Madden 19 NFL football tournament. One woman
said she and her son were inside the game when a man pulled a gun and started
shooting.
“It’s scary that you could be having a good time and
someone just starts shooting,” she said.
One witness at the gaming event told Fox News that
someone who was competing in the tournament lost and “went crazy and started
shooting up the room.” However, police have not confirmed a possible motive,
nor have they released the name of a suspect.
Police warned public and media to stay away from Jacksonville Landing, a waterfront entertainment complex in the northeastern Florida city.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office tweeted: “Mass shooting
at the Jacksonville Landing. Stay far away from the area. The area is not safe
at this time. STAY AWAY.”
In the video, players can be seen reacting to the gunfire
and cries can be heard before the footage cuts off.
Just before the shots were heard, a red laser dot
appeared on the chest of one of the players, who was wearing white headphones
and a red sweatshirt.
Sujeil Lopez was at home in Tampa Bay, Florida when she
got a call that her son Larry, 25, had been shot.
“I have to get to him,” she told a reporter. “I am four
hours away from him and I have to get to my son. He was shot three times, once
on the nipple, once on his hand and somewhere else.”
Her son is a professional video game player for the Bucks
Gaming team, according to his Twitter profile.
Another gamer, Drini Gjoka, said on Twitter that a bullet struck him in a thumb.
Another gamer, Drini Gjoka, said on Twitter that a bullet struck him in a thumb.
“The tourney just got shot up,” he tweeted. “I’m leaving
and never coming back. I am literally so lucky. The bullet hit my thumb. Worst
day of my life. I will never take anything for granted ever again. Life can be
cut short in a second.”
Several ambulances, as well as firefighters and police
officers, were on the scene. Roads were being blocked off in the downtown area.
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