Thursday, June 27, 2024 - An online video game dispute took a violent turn when Edward Kang, 20, from New Jersey, flew to Florida to attack another gamer with a hammer, according to Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper.
Kang was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder.
He boarded a Delta flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Jacksonville International Airport, Florida, on June 21, telling his family he was visiting a friend he met through an online video game.
The attack occurred late Saturday night, June 22, to early Sunday morning, June 23, in Fernandina Beach.
The victim had been playing an online game at his home when Kang came in wielding a hammer.
The victim managed to wrestle Kang to the ground.
The victim’s stepfather, awakened by the commotion, helped subdue Kang until deputies arrived.
Deputies responded to the call around 2 a.m., finding a significant amount of blood at the scene.
Both Kang and the victim were taken to the hospital, with the victim sustaining severe but non-life-threatening head injuries.
Kang and the victim initially met through the online game ArcheAge. They had never met in person before the incident.
The precise motive for the attack remains unclear.
Kang told investigators that the victim was "a bad person online," which seemingly drove him to take drastic action.
Kang has not been cooperative and has requested a lawyer. He asked about the potential jail time, to which Sheriff Leeper responded that it would be a long time before Kang would play video games again.
Sheriff Leeper emphasized the importance of securely locking homes and noted the real-world consequences that can arise from online interactions.
The investigation is ongoing, and charges against Kang could be upgraded as more information comes to light.
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