MULTIPLE people have been killed, including the suspect, after a mass shooting on Sunday at a shopping mall in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department confirmed news of the shooting at Jacksonville Landing, a mall and event space. Officials said that there were “multiple fatalities” with “many” transported.
NBC News reported that the shooting “appears to have occurred inside a pizza restaurant that includes a bar dedicated to video games and other forms of gaming.”
The bar was hosting a Madden 19 Southeastern Qualifier Tournament at the time, according to NBC.
Electronic Arts (EA), the company that makes the popular football video game, confirmed that it is “aware of an incident at a sanctioned Madden Championship Series competition in Jacksonville.”
“We are working with authorities to gather facts at this stage,” the company tweeted.
Local station WJXT reported that four people have died and multiple others were shot, citing sources.
One suspect in the shooting is confirmed dead, according to local media.
Shocking audio of the massacre – in which at least 12 shots rang out – was captured on a live-stream feed, which was being broadcast over the internet.
In the recording, a video showed players reacting to the gunfire before the screen went blank.
Screams of “oh my god” and “where did he go?” could then be heard after the firing inside The Jacksonville Landing entertainment complex.
Searches are continuing and it is unclear whether there was a second shooter, the Sheriff’s department added.
It urged people sheltering in place at the Landing to “stay calm, stay where you are hiding.”
Authorities urged people to “stay far away from the area.” “The area is not safe at this time,” a tweet from the Sheriff’s Department read.
“We can’t stress enough to stay away,” the department added in a second tweet. “Many blocks away.”
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also confirmed in a tweet that it is responding to a mass shooting at the downtown complex.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio also responded on Twitter, reiterating that the “situation still unfolding, law enforcement is asking everyone to avoid the area.”
“Horrifying news from #Jacksonville this afternoon,” the Florida Republican tweeted. “Have spoken to local authorities & am still awaiting more information on this shooting.”
This is a developing story.
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