By Perry Green, AFRO Sports Editor, pgreen@afro.com
A Madden video game tournament located in Florida dominated headlines over the weekend after a shooting occurred there, resulting in two people being killed and the gunman taking his own life.
According to TMZ, 24-year-old Baltimore, Md. native David Katz opened fire on several people during a livestream Madden Football video game tournament in Jacksonville after being eliminated from the tourney. The Los Angeles Times reported at least 14 people were injured because of the shooting; the three people who died included Katz, who reportedly committed suicide after the shooting spree.
A local faith leader placed signs in front of the Jacksonville Landing following the mass shooting there on Sunday. (Bob Self/The Florida Times-Union via AP)
Former NBA star Roy Hibbert has long been known as an avid gamer and recently told TMZ that it’s sad someone would shoot up a gaming event. Hibbert said the focus shouldn’t be on gaming and hinted at gun control as the problem.
“The conversation shouldn’t be on video games,” Hibbert told TMZ. “It should be on the other thing. And you know what the other thing is.”
When asked if he believes video games have become an addiction that could lead to more serious issues, like acts of violence, Hibbert said no. He even said he wouldn’t restrict his kids from playing video games or stopping them if they wanted to become professional gamers.
“Gamers make six figures a year,” Hibbert said. “Sometimes they make more than a second-round NBA player makes.”
