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EA Cancels Remaining Madden Classic Qualifiers After Shooting
EA has cancelled the three remaining Madden Classic qualifying events in the wake of the August 26 shooting at a competitive Madden event in Jacksonville, Florida, where a competitor shot and killed two other players. 11 others were wounded during the shooting, nine with gunshot injuries, before the gunman took his own life.
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In a statement released today, via the company's website, EA CEO Andrew Wilson expressed his shock and grief in the wake of the incident.
“First and foremost, it is an unthinkable tragedy that Taylor Robertson and Elijah Clayton, two of our top Madden competitors, lost their lives in this way,” said Wilson. “They were respected, positive and skilled competitors, the epitome of the players and personalities at the heart of our community. 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.
“The event was a qualifying tournament for the Madden Classic, our first Madden EA Major competition of this season. While these qualifying events are operated independently by partners, we work with them to ensure competitive integrity and to gather feedback from players. 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. We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events.
“We’ve all been deeply affected by what took place in Jacksonville,” said Wilson. “This is the first time we’ve had to confront something like this as an organization, and I believe the first time our gaming community has dealt with a tragedy of this nature. Please take time to support each other through this challenging time.”
The three remaining qualifiers for the Madden Classic were scheduled to occur in Dulles, Virginia, Santa Ana, California, and Carrollton, Texas throughout September, culminating in the Madden Classic Final in Las Vegas in early October.