Banglapress Online: Multiple people were killed in a mass shooting during a video game tournament at a shopping and dining complex in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said Sunday afternoon.
Preliminary reports say four people were killed of the 11 people who were shot, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the incident.
One suspect was dead, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said on Twitter.
The shooting occurred at the Jacksonville Landing complex during a qualifying event for the Madden 19 Tournament at the GLHF Game Bar, according to the Twitter of CompLexity Gaming, one of the gaming teams.
“Multiple fatalities at the scene, many transported. #TheLandingMassShooting,” according to Jacksonville Sheriff’s twitter page.
“One suspect is dead at the scene, unknown at this time if we have a second suspect. Searches are being conducted,” according to another tweet from the sheriff’s office.
Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida is treating at least three patients that were involved in the gaming shooting incident, Hospital spokesman Pete Moberg tells CNN. All of the patients are in stable condition, Moberg says.
On an online stream of the Madden event posted to the website Twitch, several loud gunshots can be heard and the game abruptly stops.
After several gunshots, people scream and one person cries out, “Oh f**, what’d he shoot me with?” The stream did not show the shooting.
‘I’m still shocked’
The Jacksonville Landing is an open-air marketplace with stores, bars and restaurants in downtown Jacksonville along the St. Johns River.
Ryan Alemon, who came from Texas to participate in the gaming tournament, said he ducked down and ran toward the restroom when he heard the gunshots. He stayed there for about 10 minutes.
“I’m still shocked, I can hardly talk,” he said.
The sheriff’s office said many people found places to hide when the shooting started.
“We are finding many people hiding in locked areas at The Landing,” the sheriff’s office tweeted. “We ask you to stay calm, stay where you are hiding. SWAT is doing a methodical search inside The Landing. We will get to you. Please don’t come running out.” Malik Brunson said he was at a nearby Hooters restaurant when the shooting occurred.
“All I heard was he got a gun and the shooting started. One of the man ran into Hooters with the shot wounds, they locked us in the restaurant,” he said in a social media message.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said he is contact with Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams regarding the shooting, according to the City of Jacksonville’s Twitter account.
“Mayor @lennycurry and Sheriff Williams are in contact regarding the ongoing situation at the Landing,” the city said in a tweet.
Federal law enforcement officials are monitoring the situation in Jacksonville. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is responding to the scene in Jacksonville Landing, a law enforcement source told CNN.
