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ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - When David Katz began shooting people at a Jacksonville "Madden NFL 19" video game tournament, it not only changed the lives of the victims and their families, it likely changed the gaming industry.
The shooting killed two people and hurt nearly a dozen others. It also prompted people who put on similar tournaments to start looking at event security.
"It's gonna open up the eyes of folks that are running competitive gameplay," says David Glass, creator of the annual OrlandoiX tech conference.
Major security increases began for OrlandoiX three years ago, even before the Pulse nightclub massacre.
Glass says, "Everything from metal detectors to bag checks to uniformed, armed deputies. This is the world we live in today. And whether it's eSports or it's anything else, you've gotta watch as people come through your doors.""
He predicts the mass shooting in Jacksonville will spur security increases at gaming events quickly.
"Things like that are just gonna become normal going forward," says Glass.
The News Station's Tom Johnson talked to Glass about what lasting effects on gaming events he thinks are coming.
LINKS:
OrlandoiX - www.orlandoix.com
Madden 19 Championship Series - https://www.easports.com/madden-nfl/compete/home