CEO says EA 'deeply affected' by Jacksonville shooting

The deadly weekend shooting at an esports industry event has sent shockwaves through the gaming community, and through one company in particular.

The Madden series of video games is produced by Electronic Arts.

The shooting took place at a tournament for the Madden NFL 19 video game in Jacksonville, Florida.

The gunman, identified by authorities as David Katz of Baltimore, Maryland, walked into GLHR Game Bar and opened fire, killed two people and injuring 11 others before turning the gun on himself.

EA’s CEO issued a statement saying the company was ‘deeply affected’ by the shooting as he expressed the company’s condolences.

“First and foremost, it is an unthinkable tragedy that Taylor Robertson and Elijah Clayton, two of our top Madden competitors, lost their lives in this way. They were respected, positive and skilled competitors, the epitome of the players and personalities at the heart of our community,” said Andrew Wilson.  “Their love of competition was evident through their participation in our events over the past few years.  We are committed to supporting Taylor and Elijah’s families through this difficult time, and we send our deepest sympathies to their loved ones, to those injured yesterday, and everyone affected.”

The event was a qualifying tournament for the Madden Classic, the first Madden EA Major competition of the season.

Electronic Arts has decided to cancel the three remaining qualifying events, while a review is conducted of safety protocols for competitors and spectators.