Video Game Fan Allegedly Traveled Across The Country At Night To Assault An Online Opponent

A gamer has been accused of flying across the country to confront an online rival in a dramatic middle-of-the-night altercation.

Edward Kang, a 20-year-old from New Jersey, reportedly took an overnight flight to Florida last Friday, June 21.

His mission, according to police, was to confront a rival gamer.

After landing, Kang is said to have visited a hardware store to pick up a hammer before heading to his rival's home in the early hours of Sunday.

Edward Kang flew to Florida to attack an online rival Nassau County Sheriff's Office

Police reports suggest that the motive behind Kang's action was a heated session of the online game ArcheAge, which left him infuriated.

He had apparently told his mom that he was visiting a friend in Florida, which covered for his travel to the state. After his arrival, he checked into a hotel.

On Saturday, June 22, Kang is said to have purchased a hammer and a flashlight at a local hardware store.

He then made his way to the victim's home in Fernandina Beach, dressed all in black with a mask and gloves, in the dead of night.

Sheriff Bill Leeper shared his thoughts on the case with reporters on Monday: "This is a weird one," he said.

"Some things make you say 'hmm'. Some things you just can’t make up. There are some things that make you say, ‘What in the world was he thinking?’ 

"And there are some things that make you say, ‘You’re not gonna believe this.’ Well, this case makes you say all four of those."

The situation escalated when the victim's stepfather was woken up by his stepson's screams for help.

"The victim’s stepfather reported being awakened by screams for help," Leeper elaborated.

"When he went to see what was going on, he found his stepson on the ground struggling with the attacker, who was in possession of a hammer."

The victim and his stepdad managed to restrain Kang until the police arrived. They discovered a 'significant amount of blood' in the hallway.

Fortunately, although the victim suffered severe head injuries, they were not considered life-threatening.

Sheriff Bill Leeper called the case 'a weird one' First Coast News

Kang is now facing charges of attempted murder and burglary and is being held at Nassau County Jail.

Sheriff Leeper recounted an interaction with Kang: "When the suspect was asked why he did what he did, the suspect stated that he is a bad person online, talking about the victim," he said. 

"In addition, the suspect asked our deputy how much time in jail do you get for breaking and entering and assault. I would say, Mr. Kang, it’s gonna be a long time before you play video games again."