Edward Kang, a 20-year-old gamer from New Jersey, stands accused of traveling nearly 1,000 miles to Fernandina Beach, Florida, with the intent to kill a rival gamer using a hammer. The incident arose following an online dispute between the two ArcheAge players.
The New York Times stated that Edward Kang, a 20-year-old ArcheAge player, flew across states after a verbal altercation in Florida to confront his opponent with a hammer.
According to the report, the angered player arrived at his opponent’s in-game ArcheAge residence last Saturday morning, whom he had never met before, and attacked him with a hammer.
Approximately two hours later, Florida police arrested Edward Kang. He admitted to his mother over the phone that he did not intend to kill his opponent.
Dean, the person whom Edward assaulted with a hammer, sustained severe head injuries and has not disclosed the motive behind the altercation. However, Edward told the police during interrogation that “he (the victim) is a bad person in the virtual space.”
Edward Kang faces charges not only for attempted murder but also for armed robbery. He is currently detained in a Florida prison.
The local police chief, where the young man is detained, told the media that this online dispute, which escalated to an attempted murder case, poses a new and challenging scenario for local law enforcement.
ArcheAge is an online fantasy game where players embark on exploration and conquest adventures in a mythical world. The game allows for the creating of characters mainly focused on attacking and harming other players.
