Business owner hopes recent mass shooting at game competition in Jacksonville doesn’t make local gamers stop playing

HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF) – The mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida claimed the lives of two people and injured several others, but its impact reached gamers here in the Tennessee Valley.

This community of gamers is close knit and many times they find themselves playing with people who aren’t even in the same time zone.

So yesterday’s tragedy hit close to home for local business owner who says gamers in his store, almost every day of the week.

Henry Flood says, “I know there are customers that knew about it almost instantaneously. It affect you for the rest of your life.”

Flood is the the owner of Epikos. He says the gaming community across the world watched as the tragedy in Jacksonville, Florida unfolded, some even watched the live stream of the video gaming competition.

“Everyone in our community wants to see everyone that you see every week. You got a group of friends that you hang out with and you want to see them,” Flood says.

Flood says that here in the Tennessee Valley, at his two stores people gather and it’s about enjoying a common interest.

“It’s about building a community I’ve known people from around the world from my years of gaming,” says Flood, who’s been gaming for about 25 years.

Some gamers injured in Jacksonville might not game again.

“I read one tweet where someone got shot in the thumb. Hopefully, it was just a nick maybe because most of the guys that were playing, guys and girls that were playing in that tournament where playing on consoles,” says Flood.

Flood says while the tragedy hits home for those who visit both his Hixson location and the one in Brainerd.

He hopes this type of tragedy doesn’t have to be associated with the love of the game.

Flood says, “no one knows the time or place where our life will end so don’t let fear control you and keeping you from having fun.”

Federal officials did raid the home of the suspected shooter, identified as David Katz.

Katz was a one-time Madden Tournament Champion, but lost yesterday.

All nine of the wounded are in stable condition, according to CBS News.