Authorities are investigating why a player at a video-game tournament in Jacksonville, Fl., gunned down two people and wounded 11 others Sunday, an incident that has prompted calls for more security at gaming events, reports USA Today. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the lone shooter, believed to be David Katz, 24, of Baltimore, was among the dead and had killed himself. Some media reports said Katz was upset about losing an intense game.he The violence broke out during a Madden NFL 19 video game tournament that was held in a gaming bar that shared space with the Chicago Pizza and Sports Grille in an entertainment complex along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville.
The incident stunned gamers and prompted questions about security at gaming events. They are typically livestreamed from local bars or other gathering spots; the largest are held in sports arenas. Another tournament, the Evolution Championship Series in Las Vegas, drew about 15,000 people in March. “It’s very clear that we need to be more proactive for 2019 and beyond,” tweeted Joey Cuellar, the tournament director. “The amount of undercover law enforcement at Evo was unprecedented, and we will be installing metal detectors for ALL days next year.” Esports have become big business, which Goldman Sachs report valued at $500 million in 2016. At Sunday’s Madden competition, the tournament was streamed live on Twitch.tv, an online network that attracts tens of millions of visitors, most of whom watch footage of other people playing video games. “In the world of competitive video games, mental health issues loom so large and come up so often that the problem somehow becomes invisible,” wrote Tyler Erzberger, who covers esports for ESPN. “In a world where one day you can go from playing in your bedroom to the next being criticized by millions under spotlights, mental health can’t be overlooked.”