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Report: Jacksonville Shooter Was Hospitalized For Mental Illness

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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The video gamer who allegedly shot up a Madden tournament in Jacksonville, Florida, was previously hospitalized for mental illness.

David Katz, 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, killed two people and wounded nine others before turning the gun on himself on Sunday.

Court records obtained by the Associated Press show that Katz was previously hospitalized in psychiatric facilities on two occasions and was prescribed anti-psychotic and anti-depression medication.

The records are a part of divorce filings for Katz’s parents and they reveal that the Katz family had disagreements on how to handle their son’s issues. Katz’s father reportedly accused his wife of exaggerating Katz’s mental health issues as part of their custody battle.

Other gamers who interacted with Katz described his “odd” behavior and “erratic” playing style and said he rarely spoke to fellow gamers.

Katz brought a handgun to the Jacksonville Landing Complex on Sunday and opened fire as competitive gamers played the football video game.

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