New Jersey gamer travels to Florida with hammer to attack rivals

Edward Kang, a 20-year-old gamer from New Jersey, is suspected of traveling nearly 1,000 miles to Fernandina Beach, Florida, to kill a rival gamer with a hammer. The incident occurred after an online argument between the two ArcheAge players.

The New York Times reported that Edward Kang, a 20-year-old ArcheAge player, flew across the state to confront his opponent with a hammer after a verbal altercation in Florida.

According to the report, the angry player came to the residence of his opponent in the ArcheAge game, whom he had never met before, last Saturday morning and attacked him with a hammer.

About two hours later, police in Florida arrested Edward Kang. He admitted to his mother over the phone that he had no intention of killing his opponent.

Dean, the person who attacked Edward with a hammer, suffered severe head injuries and has not disclosed the motive for the altercation. However, Edward told police during questioning that “he (the victim) is a bad person in the virtual space.”

Edward Kang is charged not only with attempted murder but also with armed robbery. He is currently in a Florida prison.

The police chief of the town where the young man is being held told the media that this online dispute, which escalated into an attempted murder, represents a new and challenging situation for local law enforcement authorities.

ArcheAge is an online fantasy game in which players go on adventures of discovery and conquest in a mythical world. The game allows the creation of characters whose main task is to attack and harm other players.