The two victims in yesterday’s shooting at a Madden tournament in Jacksonville, Florida were Taylor Robertson and Eli Clayton, professional Madden players who had both found success playing EA’s football simulation game.
Robertson, who went by the handle Spotmeplz, was 27. He was from Ballard, West Virginia, and had made over $US80,000 ($109,275) playing Madden, according to his EA profile. He was married, with a child, and had recently joined the esports team DotCityGaming. “Excited to join this squad!” he wrote earlier this month on Twitter. “Big year ahead!”
Clayton, 22, went by the handle TrueBoy. His hometown was Woodland Hills, California, and he often played as the Jacksonville Jaguars, taking them to the Madden national finals in 2017. One person involved with that event described him to Kotaku as “the nicest kid”.
Earlier this year, Clayton had been elated when he made an appearance as a coach in Madden 18. “I’m literally IN the game,” he wrote on Instagram. “Lol Madden has really changed my life and a game that I used to play for fun is now a big part of my life. Just so blessed to have an opportunity like this. Just such a crazy feeling knowing that tons of people log on and see my face on a Madden NFL game. Unreal.”
Jacksonville police have not yet officially confirmed the victims’ names, but their fellow players, sponsors and esports organisations took to social media yesterday and today to share condolences following yesterday’s shooting.
“They were great competitors and well-loved members of the Madden community,” wrote the group DotCityGaming, which had sponsored Robertson. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to their families, loved ones, and all of those affected by this tragedy.”
“I love you brother,” wrote former Madden creative director Rex Dickson, sharing a message he had received from Robertson when he left the series earlier this year.
“Crying and in so much pain,” wrote pro Madden player Eric “Problem” Wright on Twitter. “Prayers to the families of Trueboy and Spotme. All over a video game. Two of our brothers are gone man and its so disturbing. One of the most tragic days I’ve experienced. This community is like family. Broken.”
Comments
15 responses to “Victims Of Jacksonville Shooting Were Two Pro Madden Players”
I thought there where 3… What about the other one.
Trueboy was the guy playing on the stream in the video from the last article, where the laser dot is briefly visible across his chest, immediately before the gunshot sound. So…just a warning to anyone going back and reading the previous article, that clip is even more disturbing knowing that was literally his last moment alive.
My condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
If those players had access to guns, they could have survived. Thoughts and prayers.
i cant tell if you are being facetious or just an out right idiot?
Either way, shame on you for attempting to bring humour or even worse, a bull shit argument to an article attempting to honour the lives of two dudes who got shot up for gaming.
You do nothing for the argument, if anything, you make things worse.
Get back in your basement you twat.
Thanks @mucktard,
I was too angry at the unintelligent post to articulate a reply – you summed it up beautifully.
Ahhh f*ck it , no need to get worked up. The generic shocked and appalled statements don’t make the situation any better or worse than being glib about it.
Shi*t happens. America. Guns and thoughts and prayers and all that stuff.
‘till next week….
It’s almost certainly Trump satire. I hope.
Really sad story – and well reported.
Well reported? All kotaku did was take some info they found on twitter from other players who were there and copy paste in the comments they found. I read yesterday that 4 people were killed in total, kotaku only mentioned two. Also I have no idea who the suspects are or their motives, which is what I was hoping to find out reading this.
Yes, two of the victims were pro Madden players, but not the only victims.
The motivations and background are still being determined, and it’d be irresponsible to speculate about that sort of stuff until it’s properly confirmed. We know the shooter was a Madden player himself who competed in the tournament, but that was reported in the previous story too.
Yeah I say well reported because it gave a strong sense of the needless loss that has occurred. Personally I don’t care much for knowing about the perpetrator or his motives – there is no rational motive for shooting defenceless people. It’s abnormal behaviour. What else can you say other than to comment on the politics of gun-control, which has already been done ad nauseum? So yeah, for me, well reported.
Normally i dont like the fact downvotes put you into auto moderation. However in this instance i think you deserve the auto-moderation.
So many needless deaths because American’s refuse to give up the right for just about anyone to play with guns.
But how will we protect ourselves without gun?!?!?
sigh :/ this is completely horrific. senseless loss of life over what?
and now the gaming community get to deal with all the backlash. because according to America this will have nothing to do with over the counter easy access to guns and ammo. It will be turned around into the evils of video games corrupting people.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those two Twitch streamers that died while playing the EA Sports Madden NFL 2019 tournament when the violent shooting occurred in Jacksonville Florida.
28 year old Taylor Robertson and 22 year old Eli Clayton we will sadly miss you both.
R.I.P Taylor Robertson and Eli Clayton.