Man who allegedly flew to Florida to attack gamer with hammer after online dispute charged with attempted murder
A man is in custody on attempted second-degree murder charges after allegedly attacking another person with a hammer, police said Monday.
Edward Kang, 20, allegedly flew from Newark, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida to confront the unnamed victim after a dispute through the online fantasy video game called ArcheAge, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said in a news conference.
"This is a weird one," Leeper said. "Some things make you say 'Hmm.' Some things, you just can't make up. There are some things that make you say 'What in the world was he thinking?' And there are some things that make you say 'You're not going to believe this.' This case makes you say all four of those."
Leeper said that Kang flew from Newark Liberty International Airport to Jacksonville International Airport and stayed at the Ocean Coast Hotel in Fernandina Beach since Friday. Once in Florida, Kang went to an Ace Hardware and purchased a hammer and flashlight, Leeper said. Receipts for the items were found in his hotel room.
Kang was able to enter the victim's home in Fernandina Beach because the front door was unlocked, according to Leeper. Kang, wearing all-black clothing, gloves and a mask, attacked the victim, and the two ended up struggling on the ground, the sheriff said.
Deputies were called to the home by the victim's stepfather, who reported being awakened by his stepson's screams for help. He told police he found his stepson on the ground struggling with Kang.
Police found a "significant amount of blood" in the entryway of the home and in the victim's bedroom, Leeper said.
Both Kang and the victim were taken to an area hospital. The victim sustained "severe head wounds," but they were not life-threatening, Leeper said. He has since been released from the hospital. Kang was released into the custody of the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
Kang allegedly told a deputy that the victim is "a bad person online," Leeper said, and asked how much time in jail he might serve for breaking, entering and assault.
"I would say, 'Mr. Kang, it's going to be a long time before you play video games again,'" Leeper said.
Kang is not cooperating with the investigation and remains in the Nassau County Jail, Leeper said. Jail records show that Kang has also been charged with armed burglary, in addition to the charge of attempted second-degree murder. Both are felony charges.
Leeper said that the incident serves as a reminder that online altercations can spill over into the real world and stressed that people should exercise caution online, report suspicious behavior, and keep homes securely locked.
