New Jersey Gamer Takes Feud to Florida with Violent Hammer Attack
A New Jersey gamer dude, Edward Kang, took things way too far after an online beef, flying down to Florida to hammer it out, literally. Over the weekend, he showed up at a fellow gamer’s crib in Fernandina Beach to settle their digital drama face-to-face. They’d never even met in person before.
According to ABC News, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper called it a “weird one” during a Monday briefing. Apparently, Kang, 20, slipped into the victim’s house through an unlocked door. The New Jersey gamer dressed like he was going for a ninja audition! He was decked out in all-black clothes, gloves, and a mask. Then he waited for the right moment. When the gamer dude got up from his session to hit the bathroom, Kang allegedly pounced, hammer in hand.
But the victim wasn’t having it. Despite getting whacked in the head, he managed to wrestle Kang to the ground. His stepdad, awakened by the ruckus, helped pin Kang down until the cops rolled up. Sheriff Leeper described quite a bloody scene in the entryway and the victim’s room.
New Jersey Gamer Charged:
The New Jersey gamer dude ended up with serious head wounds but has since been released from the hospital. Kang wasn’t so lucky; he got thrown in Nassau County Jail, facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and armed burglary. As for why Kang did it, he apparently thought the victim was a “bad person online.”
The two had history in the game ArcheAge, which is about to be shut down in the U.S. because people aren’t playing it much anymore. Kang told his family he was off to meet a “friend” he met years ago online. He flew from Newark to Jacksonville, checked into a hotel, and bought a hammer and flashlight from a hardware store, leaving a paper trail.
Sheriff Leeper warned people about the real-world dangers of online interactions. He advised everyone to be careful, report shady behavior, and lock their doors. And maybe avoid that New Jersey gamer in your game lobby.