A man from New Jersey became extremely upset during an online video game session, prompting him to fly to Florida in the middle of the night and allegedly attack his rival with a hammer, according to authorities.
Edward Kang, 20, reportedly took an overnight flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Jacksonville International Airport.
After booking a hotel room, he proceeded to the victim’s residence around 2 a.m. on Sunday, wielding a hammer, officials stated. “This is quite an unusual case,” remarked Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper during a briefing on Monday.
“Some things make you say hmm. Some things you just can’t make up,” Leeper told reporters. “There are some things that make you say, ‘What in the world was he thinking?’ And there are some things that make you say, ‘You’re not gonna believe this.’ Well, this case makes you say all four of those.”
The sheriff explained that Kang became angry at the victim during their gameplay in the multiplayer game ArcheAge, leading him to inform his mother that he was visiting a friend in Florida and then depart.
Upon arriving in Florida, he checked into a hotel at 2 a.m. on Friday and subsequently visited an Ace Hardware store the next day to purchase a hammer and a flashlight, according to Leeper.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, dressed in black attire and wearing a mask and gloves, Kang allegedly entered the victim’s residence in Fernandina Beach and assaulted his rival with a hammer.
“The victim’s stepfather reported hearing cries for help,” Leeper stated. “When he investigated, he found his stepson struggling with the assailant, who was wielding a hammer.”
Leeper mentioned that the two individuals subdued Kang until law enforcement arrived. He noted that the victim sustained severe head injuries that are not life-threatening, while Kang is currently detained at the Nassau County Jail on charges of attempted murder and burglary. The sheriff added that Kang has been uncooperative with the police.
“When the suspect was asked why he did what he did, the suspect stated that he is a bad person online, talking about the victim,” Leeper said. “In addition, the suspect asked our deputy how much time in jail do you get for breaking and entering and assault. I would say, Mr. Kang, it’s gonna be a long time before you play video games again.”
