E-Sports: Jacksonville Videogame Shooting
By Emre Bilginoglu, Attorney-at-Law, Istanbul, Turkey
On 26 August 2018, a mass shooting took place in Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America, at an E-Sports tournament for NFL Madden.
The suspect, who is a previous winner of a tournament of the same game, came into the venue with a gun and opened fire. Two people died at the scene, with nine others injured, and the assailant, David Katz, who had known mental health problems, fatally shot himself.
The developer of the game, EA Sports, referred to the shooting as a senseless act of violence.
Mass shootings have become an important issue in the States, and this event raises questions about the security of the tournament. The organizers of the tournaments must take necessary precautions to provide the security of the competitors and the audience.
This dismal event may also point to the significance of the mental state of professional gamers.
Surely, had this been a tournament of a video game with guns instead of football, there would have been different debates on E-Sports. In both cases, all professional E-Sports players should be able to attain professional help, if needed, as their trainings push them to a more solitary way of life.
Emre Bilginoglu, who is also admitted to practise Law in the State of New York, USA, may be contacted by e-mail at ‘This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ’
