FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. (TCN) — A 20-year-old man was taken into custody after he allegedly flew into town from New Jersey and attacked the victim with a hammer over a video game disagreement.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said in a press conference Monday, June 24, that this was a “weird” motive and that there are “some things you just can’t make up.”
According to Leeper, on Sunday, June 23, at approximately 2 a.m., the victim’s stepfather awoke to the victim screaming for help. When he went to check on the victim, he found the victim and suspect, Edward Kang, in a physical fight. The stepfather and the victim restrained Kang until Nassau County deputies arrived. The responding deputies reportedly noticed a “significant amount of blood” in the front hallway and the victim’s bedroom.
Leeper said the victim was playing a video game late Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning. He reportedly got up to go to the bathroom, and when he returned, he allegedly found Kang standing in his room with a hammer and his hand in the air. Kang was allegedly wearing all black, a mask, and gloves. Kang and the victim started struggling, but the victim wrestled him to the ground.
Both Kang and the victim were taken to the hospital for injuries, but Kang was released into the custody of the sheriff’s office. The victim sustained “severe head wounds,” though Leeper said they are not life-threatening.
Kang and the victim reportedly met playing the video game “ArcheAge,” which is a multiplayer fantasy game. Kang allegedly claimed the victim “is a bad person online.”
Kang arrived in Florida in the early morning hours of Friday, June 21. He allegedly told his family he was visiting a longtime friend in Florida he had not seen in a while. Once in Florida, he reportedly purchased a flashlight and hammer from Ace Hardware. Investigators located his receipt and his flight ticket.
Kang is being charged with attempted second-degree murder and armed burglary. Leeper said Kang is not cooperating with law enforcement, but he apparently asked about sentencing lengths for breaking and entering and assault.
Leeper said, “I’ll say it’s gonna be a long time before you play video games again.”