Gunman kills 2, self in Florida; 11 injured

Others hurt in rampage at video game tourney

Three people were reported killed and 11 wounded Sunday after a shooting rampage during a Madden 19 video game tourney in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.

Sheriff Mike Williams said the shooter was among the dead and had taken his own life. He identified the gunman as David Katz, 24, of Baltimore.

Williams did not identify the other two deceased people and said nine of the injured were taken to hospitals, seven of them with gunshot wounds. Two other injured people sought hospital care on their own.

Initial news media reports indicated there were four fatalities, but Williams corrected the number to three, pending treatment of the injured.

“I’m happy to report they’re all in stable condition at this time,” said Williams, who declined to discuss a potential motive for the shooting.

Williams said the gaming tournament took place at Chicago Pizza and Sports Grille in the Jacksonville Landing entertainment complex along the St. Johns River.

Witnesses described a flurry of gunshots, followed by a stampede as people rushed to escape.

Braheem Johnson of Jacksonville was working at the restaurant, which shares space with a gaming bar, when the shots rang out. He caught a glimpse of the shooter, whom he described as a young male of average build, firing into the crowd with a large-caliber handgun sporting a laser sight attachment.

Johnson barricaded himself and some customers in the restaurant and grabbed two knives.

He described seeing the wounded, some still sprinting for the door despite the injuries. Johnson stayed in the restaurant along with the customers until the police came.

“We just finished clearing the Jacksonville Landing ... and the scene is secure,” Williams said at a news conference. “I would encourage people not to come down, to spectate. We don’t need that at this point.”

Authorities urged people hiding in the area to call 911 so police could get them out.

“We are finding many people hiding in locked areas at the Landing,” the sheriff’s office said. “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.”