CompLexity Gaming founder and CEO Jason Lake has issued a statement on the shooting that occurred Sunday during a Madden NFL 19 event.
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The shooting took place in Jacksonville, Florida, when a gunman opened fire during a Madden NFL 19 tournament. In the moments immediately following the event, Lake asked members of the press and others to refrain from reaching out to the individual players involved in the shooting. Drini “YoungDrini” Gjoka was one such player who was reportedly shot in the thumb, though the CEO said that Gjoka was “away from the scene and safe.”
In a full statement issued to CNN after opening up lines of communication for the press to contact him, Lake said that the team was “obviously shocked and saddened” before reiterating that the player was safe after fleeing the scene.
“We’re obviously shocked and saddened by this afternoon’s events,” Lake said in a statement. “Our player, Drini, was hit in the thumb but is going to be fine. He managed to escape and run down the street to a nearby gym. He’s currently cooperating with the authorities and we will be flying him out of Jacksonville as soon as we are given the green light from the officials on the ground.”
Reports on the incident that came from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shortly after the shooting took place confirmed that a suspect was dead at the scene before saying that it was unknown if there was a second suspect. Further reports indicated that people attending the event were hiding nearby with the authorities urging them to stay in hiding or call 911 so that they could be found and escorted out.
We are finding many people hiding in locked areas at The Landing. We ask you to stay calm, stay where you are hiding. SWAT is doing a methodical search inside The Landing. We will get to you. Please don’t come running out. #TheLandingMassShooting //t.co/qBJvkaO7xT
— Jax Sheriff’s Office (@JSOPIO) August 26, 2018
**IMPORTANT** If you are hiding in The Landing. Call 911 so we can get to you. #TheLandingMassShooting //t.co/qBJvkaO7xT
— Jax Sheriff’s Office (@JSOPIO) August 26, 2018
Electronic Arts, the publisher of the Madden NFL games, also issued a statement regarding the incident. The publisher said that it was aware of an incident that’s taken place at the Madden Championship Series and are working with the proper authorities to gather more information. They also offered their sympathies to those involved via Twitter.
