New Jersey man travels to Florida to attack online rival

A bizarre incident unfolded when a New Jersey man escalated an online gaming dispute by traveling to Florida and assaulting another player with a hammer, according to authorities. This is prepared by SSP.

Nassau County court records mention that Edward Kang, aged 20, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and armed burglary with a mask. He was apprehended early Sunday morning.

During a news conference on Monday, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper labeled the situation as unique, stating, "Some things you just can't make up."

The assailant, Kang, and the victim, a player of similar age, had never met in person. However, both were participants in the online medieval fantasy massively multiplayer game called ArcheAge. In April, the game's publisher announced plans to shut down servers in Europe and North America due to a decrease in active players.

Allegedly, Kang flew from Newark, New Jersey, to Jacksonville, Florida, last Thursday, informing his mother that he intended to visit a friend from his video game. The means by which Kang obtained the victim's address remained undisclosed. After reaching Florida, he utilized an Uber service to reach a hotel in Fernandina Beach, located roughly 35 miles north of Jacksonville. It was there that he purchased a hammer from a local hardware store, as per law enforcement officers.

Around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Kang entered the victim's unlocked home in Fernandina Beach. Unfortunate timing led to the victim walking out of his bedroom just as Kang confronted him, violently striking him on the head with the aforementioned hammer. The victim managed to call for help while struggling against Kang. Luckily, his stepfather swiftly intervened and aided in restraining the assailant until the police arrived.

Officials stated that the victim sustained non-life-threatening head injuries and received necessary medical attention, including stapling at a hospital.

Upon being taken into custody, Kang proceeded to inform investigators about the victim's misbehavior online and even inquired about potential consequences for offenses such as breaking and entering and assault.

To address Kang directly, Sheriff Leeper remarked, "Mr. Kang, it’s going to be a long time before you play video games again."

At the time of writing, there is no attorney listed for Kang in online court records. He currently remains held without bond.