Professional gamer Drini Gjoka, a Complexity-sponsored gamer, confirmed he was shot during a Madden tournament at the mass shooting in Jacksonville on Aug. 26. Gjoka, 19, said early on Aug. 26, that he had won his first game, advancing to the round of 32. Soon, though, he alerted his followers on Twitter that the tournament was “just shot up.”
“I’m leaving and never coming back,” he added.
Soon he noted that he was shot but survived.
“I am literally so lucky. The bullet hit my thumb,” he said. He added later that it was the “worst day of my life.”
‘Never Take Anything For Granted’
“I will never take anything for granted ever again. Life can be cut short in a second,” he said. “If I havent said it before, I'll say it now. I LOVE ALL YOU GUYS.”Authorities said the mass shooting took place at The Jacksonville Landing in Florida around 1 p.m. EST. It occurred at GLHF GameBar, which describes itself as the city’s “first all-in-one geek/nerd/gamebar.”
Several other gamers or relatives of theirs said they were shot, or safe. The mother of gamer “Larry Legend“ said that her son was shot three times and asked everyone to keep him in their prayers.
Another gamer, “BucTillIDie,“ said he was at the tournament when fellow player ”Larry2K,” was shot.
Yet another gamer at the tournament, “Jefe,” said that Eli “TrueBoy” Clayton, seen in the live stream that captured the gunshots, was dead. “Rest in Heaven lil bro [sic]. We gon miss u!” Jefe said.
The coast guard patrols the St John's river outside of the Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Florida on Aug. 26, 2018. Florida authorities are reporting multiple fatalities after a mass shooting at the riverfront mall in Jacksonville that was hosting a video game tournament. AP Photo/Laura Heald
Another professional Madden player, “Echo Fox Joke,“ said that he was uninjured. ”Luckily I’m safe. Please keep the madden community in your prayers,“ he said. ”RIP to our brothers. I love every single one of you. It’s a sick world we live in.”
Steven “Steveyj” Javaruski, one of the competitors at the tournament on Aug. 26, said that he was also safe but told the Los Angeles Times that he witnessed the shooting.
He said the shooter, who the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said was dead, was a gamer who was competing in the tournament but lost.
The shooter then “targeted a few people,” Javaruski said. He witnessed the shooter shoot at least five people before killing himself.
Four Dead: Report
Officials said four people died and 11 were injured, sources told Vic Micolucci of WJXT.Gamers noted that the tournament was a qualifier for a larger tournament.
EA Sports said in a statement that it was aware of the shooting at the tournament, which it sanctioned.
“This is a horrible situation, and our deepest sympathies go out to all involved,” it said.
From NTD.tv
