Madden NFL Tournament Shooting - "It's scary that you could be having a good time and someone just starts shooting"
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EA SPORTS MADDEN 19
On August 26, 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida, a man opened fire during a Madden NFL 19 tournament. He claimed the lives of two professional Madden players, and injured 11 others before taking his own life. Jacksonville local news identified the man as a competitor from Baltimore participating in the tournament.
The incident took place at the Jacksonville Landing inside the GLHF game bar. In a press briefing, the Sheriff confirmed the location had been cleared, and one suspect was dead. A competitor interviewed by local news stated, “I was actually one of the people that beat him, and some other guy, and we’re still here.” He felt the gunman was targeting people, and that it was premeditated. “I went to shake his hand after the game, and he just looked at me. He didn’t say anything.”
Taylor Robertson and Eli Clayton were the two victims. Robertson, 27, “spotmeplzz” was a Madden 17 champion, earning $70,000 in Madden competitions. His EA profile states,
“It’s certainly possible for any player to get to this level. You just have to put in the time, you have to grind, you have to play a lot of games, and just work on getting better. So anybody out there who’s looking to get into it, just start practicing.”
Clayton, 22, “TrueBoy” made it into the semifinals of the 2018 Ultimate League, and placed top five in the 2017 Madden Champion Series. Clayton actually made an appearance in Madden 18 as a coach. He wrote on Instagram, “Lol Madden has really changed my life, and a game that I used to play for fun is now a big part of my life. Just so blessed to have an opportunity like this.”
Madden’s publisher, Electronic Arts (EA) issued a statement. “We are aware of an incident at a sanctioned Madden Championship Series competition in Jacksonville. We are working with authorities to gather facts at this stage.” EA canceled the remaining three tournaments in order to review safety protocols. EA’s CEO, Andrew Wilson stated, “We will work with our partners, and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events.”
In response to the incident, EA established a GoFundMe for the families of the victims, and donated $1 million to the Jacksonville Tribute Fund. They also hosted the Jacksonville Tribute Stream. “Bringing the gaming community together in support of all those affected by the tragic events on August 26.” They held a tribute for Robertson and Clayton, highlighted community fundraising efforts, and interviewed players affected by the aftermath.
These types of events are difficult, especially when you live in a city affected by it. Even if you aren’t anywhere near the incident, it can leave a lingering effect on you. It takes community effort to patch things up. EA stepped in, and provided major contribution to those affected by this tragedy. It’s good to know that EA has pledged better security for future events. We shouldn’t have to be afraid of going out in public and doing the things we enjoy. Hopefully with EA’s commitment, we can prevent this from happening again.
Rest in Peace Taylor Robertson and Eli Clayton.