Man arrested after flying to Florida to attack rival with hammer over online game feud

A man from New Jersey was taken into custody for traveling to Florida in the middle of the night to assault his adversary with a hammer due to a dispute in an internet game.

On June 24, 2024, Sherrif Bill Lepper from Nassau County, Florida announced that a man had been arrested for attempted murder and burglary.

According to Lepper, the attacker became enraged at the victim during their game of ArcheAge, a decade-old online multiplayer RPG. He then promptly boarded a plane to travel to the sunshine state.

Upon arrival, it is alleged that the attacker made a stop at an Ace Hardware store to acquire a hammer and a flashlight, then proceeded to sneak into the victim’s house.

According to the sheriff, the stepfather of the victim was awakened by cries for assistance. When the stepfather investigated, he discovered his stepson on the ground, engaged in a struggle with the attacker who was wielding a hammer.

NEW: New Jersey man is charged with attempted murder after flying to Florida overnight to attack his online video game rival with a hammerEdward Kang, 20, allegedly took an overnight flight from Newark to Jacksonville”The victim’s stepfather reported being awakened by screams… pic.twitter.com/V1RSKw1Ogv

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) June 25, 2024

The Sheriff also stated that the suspect claimed the victim was a “bad person online”when questioned about their motive for the attack.

According to Lepper, the victim sustained serious injuries from the attack, but they were not life-threatening.

According to Meltzer & Bell, a Florida-based team of criminal lawyers, the specific charges against the suspect have not been disclosed. However, it is known that first-degree attempted murder carries a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, while second-degree attempted murder carries a minimum sentence of 15 years.

Additionally, this incident occurred only weeks following the stabbing death of a Korean YouTuber who was allegedly killed by a rival while live streaming outside of a courthouse in Busan, South Korea. The perpetrator was apprehended within two hours and later proclaimed in a post on their YouTube channel that they had been arrested.

It was not the only instance where someone was attacked during an IRL broadcast. In May of 2023, a Chinese streamer had his hand severed when a man attacked him with a sword.