A police officer stands by where an active shooter was reported Sunday, Aug. 26, 2017 in Jacksonville, Fla. after a gunman opened fire Sunday during an online video game tournament that was being livestreamed from a Florida mall, killing multiple people and sending many others to hospitals. (AP Photo/Laura Heald)
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, right, holds a news conference, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla., after a gunman opened fire Sunday during an online video game tournament that was being livestreamed from a Florida mall, killing multiple people and sending many others to hospitals. (AP Photo/Laura Heald)
SoundThe gallery will resume insecondsPolice barricade a street near the Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018. Florida authorities are reporting multiple fatalities after a mass shooting at the riverfront mall in Jacksonville that was hosting a video game tournament. (AP Photo/Laura Heald)
The coast guard patrols the St John’s river outside of the Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018. Florida authorities are reporting multiple fatalities after a mass shooting at the riverfront mall in Jacksonville that was hosting a video game tournament. (Photo by Laura Heald, AP)
Police gather after an active shooter was reported at the Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018. A gunman opened fire Sunday during an online video game tournament that was being livestreamed from a Florida mall, killing multiple people and sending many others to hospitals. (AP Photo/Laura Heald)
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A gunman opened fire Sunday during an online video game tournament that was being livestreamed from a Florida mall, killing multiple people and sending many others to hospitals, authorities said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did not immediately confirm the number of dead at the Jacksonville Landing, a collection of restaurants and shops along the St. Johns River.
But a source close to the investigation said four people were killed and the gunman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to release information.
UF Health says the shooting victims they are treating are in the age range of 20-35, some of the patients are from out of state @wjxt4
— Jennifer Ready (@JenniferReadyTV) August 26, 2018
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Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams held a brief press conference around 5:30 p.m. eastern time and said there were no outstanding suspects and that the suspected shooter was a white male, but provided no further details. He said there would be another update from the department in a “couple hours.”
He said authorities were still talking to witnesses and were looking for more video footage from the area. The shooting took place in a gaming bar that shares space with a pizzeria. Viewers could watch the games online and see the players.
On an online stream of the Madden event posted to the website Twitch, several loud gunshots can be heard and the game abruptly stops.
Breaking: Reports of a shooting at the Jacksonville Landing during a Madden video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. Audio reveals sounds of gunfire during the tournament. pic.twitter.com/HOrW2yj24Q
— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) August 26, 2018
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A red dot that appears to be a laser pointer is visible on the chest of a player seconds before the first of a dozen gunshots rings out.
Vic Micolucci, a reporter for WJXT-TV said on CNN he was told there were at least 11 shooting victims and four people were dead. The area contains restaurants and shops along the St. Johns River.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office used Twitter and Facebook to warn people to stay far away from the Jacksonville Landing. Williams reiterated that point at the news conference.
“We are urging people not to come down to (the area) to spectate. We have a very large crime scene,” he said.
One suspect is dead at the scene, unknown at this time if we have a second suspect. Searches are being conducted. https://t.co/qBJvkaO7xT
— Jax Sheriff’s Office (@JSOPIO) August 26, 2018
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“We are finding many people hiding in locked areas at The Landing. We ask you to stay calm, stay where you are hiding. SWAT is doing a methodical search inside The Landing. We will get to you. Please don’t come running out,” the sheriff’s office said via Twitter.
The shooting occurred during the Madden 19 Tournament at the GLHF Game Bar, according to the Twitter of CompLexity Gaming, one of the event organizers told CNN.
Police barricaded a three-block radius around the mall. Officers and Coast Guard boats patrolled the nearby river. Many ambulances could be seen in the area, but the mall area appeared empty of all but law enforcement. Police also took up positions on a bridge overlooking the river.
The Jacksonville Landing, in the heart of the city’s downtown, also hosts concerts and other entertainment. It was the site of a Donald Trump rally in 2015, early in his campaign for the White House.
Source: OC Register
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