A 20-year-old New Jersey gamer faces murder charges after he went after another online player — by flying to Florida and attacking him in real life with a hammer.
Edward Kang allegedly knew the victim from ArcheAge, a Korean role-playing game, and told police the young man he attacked was a "bad person online," according to ABC News. So, telling his parents he was meeting an online "friend," he traveled to Fernandina Beach and broke into the victim's home.
He then waited for the gamer to step away from his computer to go to the bathroom before striking him in the head with a hammer.
From ABC News:
The victim, who is believed to be around the same age as Kang, was able to wrestle his assailant to the ground, [Nassau County Sheriff Bill] Leeper said. He and his stepfather, who was woken up by screams for help, were able to disarm the suspect and restrain him until deputies arrived, Leeper said.
The victim sustained "severe" head wounds during the assault, the sheriff said. The victim has since been released from a hospital, he said.
Kang was booked into the Nassau County Jail on Sunday and charged with attempted second-degree murder and armed burglary. It is unclear if he has an attorney.
Kang allegedly asked officials how much time he might spend in jail for his actions, to which the sheriff replied, "I would say, Mr. Kang, it will be a long time before you play video games."
ArcheAge will no longer be available in the United States, starting this Thursday, due to "declining number of active players." You can say that again.
Previously: Funny article about gamers enraged at everything except layoffs
