Over the weekend, the Milwaukee Bucks confirmed that a player from their professional video gaming team was among those affected by the shooting incident at the Madden 19 Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida.The violent episode resulted in three fatalities and multiple injuries. Tim Anselimo sustained several gunshot wounds when the shooting erupted at the GLHF Game Bar. His mother, Sujeil Lopez, made a public appeal for prayers and expressed relief that he was hospitalized and had a chance of survival.
“My son was shot three times, please keep him in your prayers,” she stated.
According to reports by the New York Times, Lopez received the distressing news at her residence in Tampa Bay and hurried to her son’s side, driving for hours to reach him. Around 7 pm, she shared a photo of Anselimo in a hospital bed surrounded by loved ones.
“God was with these guys today,” Lopez commented.
The day was meant to be a celebratory one for the Bucks as they inaugurated their new arena, but instead, it was marred by shock and sadness. Anselimo was one of eleven victims transported to hospitals after suffering gunshot wounds. The Jacksonville Sheriff, Mike Williams, identified the shooter as 24-year-old David Katz from Baltimore, who took his own life after the incident.
“Our thoughts are with Tim and his family during this harrowing ordeal,” stated the Bucks in a released statement. “We remain in close communication with his mother and are closely monitoring his condition.”
Bucks Gaming is a new addition to the Bucks organization, with their inaugural season having concluded recently. Anselimo was the second pick in the draft and highly regarded in his position by some.
