EA CEO shares 'shock and grief' at Madden shooting, cancels remaining events

Following the tragic shooting at a Jacksonville Madden esports tournament which claimed the lives of three people and left nine others injured, Electronic Arts has decided to cancel the remaining events.

"We have made a decision to cancel our three remaining Madden Classic qualifier events while we run a comprehensive review of safety protocols for competitors and spectators," reads a note posted online by EA's CEO, Andrew Wilson.

"We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events."

The event was part of a qualifying tournament for the Madden Classic, EA's first major event of the season.

Earlier in the note, Wilson said he and his team were filled with "shock and grief" following the "horrific and senseless act of violence" at the event.

Competitors Taylor "SpotMePlzzz" Robertson and Elijah "TrueBoy" Clayton died at the event, and Wilson paid tribute to the pair in his statement.

"They were respected, positive and skilled competitors, the epitome of the players and personalities at the heart of our community," he wrote.

"Their love of competition was evident through their participation in our events over the past few years. We are committed to supporting Taylor and Elijah’s families through this difficult time, and we send our deepest sympathies to their loved ones, to those injured yesterday, and everyone affected."

As shared on Twitter, EA posted a message for Madden players in the game, also postponing a content update in respect of the tragedy.

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