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A suspect is dead and there were multiple other fatalities after a "mass shooting" on Sunday in downtown Jacksonville, Fla., at a popular area filled with bars and restaurants, police said.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said there were "multiple fatalities" from the mass shooting at Jacksonville Landing and many people were transported to the hospital.
"One suspect is dead at the scene, unknown at this time if we have a second suspect. Searches are being conducted," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office tweeted.
© Brittney Donovan/ActionJaxNews"Multiple fatalities" reported after a mass shooting at Jacksonville Landing in Florida.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said on Twitter it is responding to the reported mass shooting in downtown Jacksonville.
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The shooting took place in the Jacksonville Landing area, which is located along the St. Johns River and is described as an area with "a wide variety of waterfront dining options and a cozy inside shopping mall."
Several people on social media participating in the Madden NFL Championship Series reported hearing gunshots shortly after 1:30 p.m. during the livestream of the tournament on the platform Twitch. Sunday's event was held at GLHF Game Bar, which is located in Jacksonville Landing.
A video surfaced on social media showed players disconnecting from the game as gunshots were heard in the background. At least 12 gunshots were heard in the video.
A reporter from Fox-affiliate CBS47/FOX30, Brittney Donovan, said that at least one person was seen being loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance.
Madden NFL 19 is a new video game based on the NFL that's developed and published by EA Sports.
The sheriff's office said that "many people" were found hiding in locked areas at the riverfront shopping complex.
"We ask you to stay calm, stay where you are hiding. SWAT is doing a methodical search inside The Landing," police said. "We will get to you. Please don't come running out."
Drini Gjoka, who won the 2018 Madden Challenge, said on Twitter he was injured in the shooting in a series of posts on Twitter.
"The tourney just got shot up. Im leavinng [sic] and never coming back," Gjoka wrote.
"I am literally so lucky. The bullet hit my thumb," he posted. "Worst day of my life."
SK Gaming, a professional eSports organization based in Germany, said it sent a player to the event in Florida that there was a shooting at the tournament.
"There was a shooting at the Madden tournament in Jacksonville. Our player @JoelCP_ is safe. Our thoughts are with everyone that had to be part of such a horrendous event. Stay strong, stay safe," the organization tweeted.
Electronic Arts, the company who developed the Madden game, tweeted the company is "aware of an incident at a sanctioned Madden Championship Series competition in Jacksonville. We are working with authorites to gather facts at this stage."
The Jacksonville Landing hosts more than 600 events each year including Florida/Georgia Weekend Celebrations, the city's annual Christmas Tree lighting, in addition to New Year's Eve and July 4th celebrations.
Fox News' Nicole Darrah contributed to this report.
The shooter was a participant of the tournament who lost, according to Steven "Steveyj" Javaruski, another competitor. He told the Los Angeles Times that the shooter "targeted a few people" and shot at least five victims before killing himself.
A search is being conducted to determine whether there was a second suspect.
A man taking part in the tournament wrote on twitter that he was injured during the shooting.
Video of the event posted online appears to have gunshots in the background.
The Sheriff's Department tweeted that "we are finding many people hiding in locked areas at The Landing," asking those individuals to "stay calm" and "remain hidden...we will get to you, please don't come running out."
The shooting took place at Jacksonville Landing, an entertainment complex on the St. Johns River which includes waterfront restaurants and an indoor shopping mall.
Brittney Donovan, a local news reporter for CBS 47 tweeted that she saw a person on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance.
Florida Governor Rick Scott tweeted that he has been in contact with Jacksonville Sheriff Michael Williams.
Williams and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry are expected to address the media later on Sunday, the City of Jacksonville tweeted.
The incident comes just two days after one person was killed and two others injured in a shooting at a high school football game in Jacksonville.
Comment: More information from the Los Angeles Times: From First Coast News: UPDATE August 27: Witnesses have come forward corroborating the sheriff's statement that the shooter was a gamer. One witness said the suspect 'just went crazy shooting up the room' after losing. Another said 'there was just so many gunshots - at least 20 of them at most'. Most are still in shock; one contestant who was on his way to the tournament said that "it could have been me, it could have been any one of us."