A video of the Jacksonville Landing Madden tournament shooting appears to show a gun’s red dot on a player as it was being live-streamed.
David Katz of Baltimore was identified by officials as the suspect in the Aug. 26 shooting, and officials believe that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two other people—identified as gamers Elijah Clayton and Taylor Robertson—died after Katz, 24, opened fire.
Sad smh can’t even play madden at tournaments in peace I slowed the video down right before it cuts out you can see a red dot on trueboy ? pic.twitter.com/eM580b7ggY
— TEAMTRAIL✊7⃣ (@LyndenTrail7) August 26, 2018
In the video, a red laser dot apparently from Katz’s gun can be seen hovering around Clayton’s chest area as gunfire rings out and the live stream cuts off.
A cousin of Clayton, Brandi Pettijohn, said the family was “devastated” and that Clayton “did not believe in violence,” The Associated Press reported.
“He never even had a fistfight,” she said.
Pettijohn said Clayton made good money participating in Madden tournaments and was saving money for college.
And Robertson, a 24-year-old from Ballard, West Virginia, was married and a father of a child, CBS News reported.
“They were great competitors and well-loved members of the Madden community,” Dot City Gaming tweeted, adding that he was a member of the team. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to their families, loved ones, and all of those affected by this tragedy.”
Robertson was also quite successful and had won $80,500 over the course of his professional gaming career, CBS reported.
Robertson’s former high football team, the Calabasas Coyotes, wrote on Twitter: “We send our love, condolences, and deepest sense of sorrow to Elijah’s Family and Friends.”
Sheriff Mike Williams said that Katz specifically targeted fellow gamers attending the tournament before killing himself. Katz’s motive remains unknown, AP reported.
Williams said that wounded victims are expected to recover.
“He’s a well-known competitor,” said one unnamed gamer about Katz during the Jacksonville tournament, according to The Tampa Bay Times. That gamer said he beat Katz on Aug. 25, a day before the shooting.
The gamer added: “[He was here] all weekend. He had shades on, he didn’t speak to anybody. Even after we played … I went to shake his hand and just tell him good game and he just looked at me. He didn’t say anything.”
Ryan Nelson on Twitter also wrote: “I was actually one of the people that beat him.”
FBI Raid
The FBI and Baltimore Police on Aug. 26 the home of Katz and interviewed family members, the agencies wrote on social media.
“Update: @FBIBaltimore has cleared the scene in south Baltimore. Follow @JSOPIO for the latest information regarding the #TheLandingMassShooting,” the FBI Baltimore Twitter account said.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that on Aug. 26, as Katz was competing in the Madden tournament, a video showed an announcer introducing him. He didn’t acknowledge the announcer’s comments.
“You are not going to see much emotion,” the announcer said. “David Katz keeps to himself. He’s a man of business. He’s not here to make friends.”
EA Sports, the makers of the Madden game, described the shooting as “a senseless act of violence that we strongly condemn.” The NFL also stated it is “shocked and deeply saddened,” CBS reported.
From The Epoch Times
