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Electronic Arts (EA) announced Monday that it will be canceling their three remaining Madden Classic qualifier events after the mass shooting at the Madden 19 video game tournament Sunday in Jacksonville, FL where Taylor Robertson and Elijah Clayton were killed and eleven were injured.
In a statement on the EA website, CEO Andrew Wilson shared his thoughts about the “horrific and senseless act of violence” and expressed his condolences saying, “I know many of us, myself included, are filled with shock and grief. Our teams have been working non-stop to do what we can to respond to this terrible situation.”
He recognized and honored Robertson and Clayton saying that they were “respected, positive and skilled competitors.” He adds, “We are committed to supporting Taylor and Elijahs families through this difficult time, and we send our deepest sympathies to their loved ones, to those injured yesterday, and everyone affected.”
Wilson went on to breaking the news about the upcoming qualifiers. “We have made a decision to cancel our three remaining Madden Classic qualifier events while we run a comprehensive review of safety protocols for competitors and spectators,” he said. “We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events.”
“This is the first time weve had to confront something like this as an organization, and I believe the first time our gaming community has dealt with a tragedy of this nature,” he continued. “Please take time to support each other through this challenging time.”
Jacksonville Sheriffs Office Sheriff Mike Williams said law enforcement believed the shooter was David Katz, a 24-year-old gamer who had been a Madden competitor in the past; the Associated Press reported the Baltimore home of Katzs father was raided later Sunday as part of the investigation.
Read Wilsons full statement below.
To Our Players and the Gaming Community,
I wanted to share some thoughts about the horrific and senseless act of violence that occurred in Jacksonville at the Madden competitive gaming event. I know many of us, myself included, are filled with shock and grief. Our teams have been working non-stop to do what we can to respond to this terrible situation.
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. Their love of competition was evident through their participation in our events over the past few years. We are committed to supporting Taylor and Elijahs 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, our first Madden EA Major competition of this season. While these qualifying events are operated independently by partners, we work with them to ensure competitive integrity and to gather feedback from players. We have made a decision to cancel our three remaining Madden Classic qualifier events while we run a comprehensive review of safety protocols for competitors and spectators. We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events.
Weve all been deeply affected by what took place in Jacksonville. This is the first time weve had to confront something like this as an organization, and I believe the first time our gaming community has dealt with a tragedy of this nature. Please take time to support each other through this challenging time.
Andrew Wilson
CEO, Electronic Arts
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