Santa Ana Madden Tourney Canceled Following Florida Shooting
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) – Gaming giant Electronic Arts has canceled three upcoming Madden 19 events in the wake of last weekend's deadly mass shooting in Florida, including a tournament in Santa Ana.
CEO Andrew Wilson announced Monday that EA was canceling Madden Classic qualifying tournaments in Santa Ana, Virginia and Texas. The Santa Ana tournament was slated to take place next month at the Esports Arena.
"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," Wilson wrote. "We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events."
On Sunday afternoon, the 24-year-old suspected gunman opened fire at a gaming tournament in Jacksonville, Fla., killing two people and wounding nine others. He then turned the gun on himself, authorities said.
Among those killed was 22-year-old Elijah Clayton of Woodland Hills, who attended both Calabasas and Chaminade high schools. The other victim was 27-year-old Taylor Robertson of West Virginia.
"It is an unthinkable tragedy that Taylor Robertson and Elijah Clayton, two of our top Madden competitors, lost their lives in this way," Wilson wrote in his statement. "They were respected, positive and skilled competitors, the epitome of the players and personalities at the heart of our community."
The suspect, David Katz, had competed and lost in the tournament earlier on the day of the shooting.
It's unclear what the motive was in the attack or whether Katz was specifically targeting the victims, officials said.
"We've all been deeply affected by what took place in Jacksonville," Wilson wrote. "This is the first time we've 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."