EA cancels remaining Madden qualifiers following Jacksonville shooting

Following the shooting in Jacksonville on Sunday, EA has cancelled the remaining qualifiers for its Madden Classic tournament.

Speaking on the EA website, CEO Andrew Wilson described the event as an "unthinkable tragedy" and paid respect to the deceased, Taylor Robertson and Elijah Clayton.

"They were respected, positive and skilled competitors, the epitome of the players and personalities at the heart of our community," says Wilson. "Their love of competition was evident through their participation in our events over the past few years.

"We are committed to supporting Taylor and Elijah’s families through this difficult time, and we send our deepest sympathies to their loved ones, to those injured yesterday, and everyone affected."

Wilson says EA has decided to cancel the three remaining Madden Classic qualifier events, as it runs a "comprehensive review of safety protocols for competitors and spectators".

He adds: "We will work with our partners and our internal teams to establish a consistent level of security at all of our competitive gaming events. We’ve all been deeply affected by what took place in Jacksonville.

"This is the first time we’ve had to confront something like this as an organization, and I believe the first time our gaming community has dealt with a tragedy of this nature. Please take time to support each other through this challenging time."

EA's announcement comes after PAX West organisers addressed security concerns ahead of its event this weekend.