Violence isn't usually the topic of discussion at a video game tournament. A fighting game or two might contain something, sure, but that's simply the nature of the game.
Nonetheless, things remain pretty light-hearted at a gaming tournament, both for the winners and the losers.
On Aug. 26, at GLHF Game Bar, a 24-year-old gamer named David Katz opened fire at a video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. During a losing match of the popular football game "Madden 19," the player decided to retaliate physically against his opponent by whipping out their 9mm handgun and firing off 12 shots.
Nine people suffered gunshot wounds, with two people getting injured while fleeing the scene. Three people ended up dead that afternoon, including David himself (CNN). Those besides David that were fatally wounded were 22-year-old Elijah Clayton and 28-year-old Taylor Robertson.
Katz was known to have psychiatric issues throughout his life and was medicated appropriately. However, 26 calls for the police were made to his residence from 1993 to 2009, with issues ranging from "mental illness to domestic disputes" (CNN).
Who the hell allowed him access to a gun?
This occurrence is something to be touchy about because of all of the subjects it hits. Not only does it entice the conversation of violence in video games, but it also holds hands with the topic of gun violence and how there is an abundance of it in the world, despite there being so much advocation against it.
This tragedy hits home for me more than anything. This man went to a high school near mine in Columbia, Maryland––a place that was so safe from those sorts of things.
So, with all of this information in mind, who the hell allowed this man to have access to a gun?
