JACKSONVILLE, Florida — On Aug. 26, 2018, a gunman opened fire inside the GLHF Game Bar inside Chicago Pizza at the Jacksonville Landing during a Madden NFL tournament.
Twenty-two-year-old Elijah Clayton and 27-year-old Taylor Robertson were killed. Both were professional gamers said to have been targeted by the shooter.
Police said 10 more were shot before the suspect turned the gun on himself. For those with loved ones in the area, it was a frightening situation.
“She was in a panic and couldn’t tell me what’s going on, so I said 'Mom, breathe, talk to me,'” Melissa Mitchell said, describing the phone call from her mother just moments after the gunman opened fire.
Mitchell is a mother of two and a shop owner. At the time of the shooting, her Beautifully Divine Studio & Boutique was just steps from Chicago Pizza.
Mitchell’s mother as well as her 5-year-old, and 7-year-old were watching the shop while Melissa ran errands. The family took cover in a bathroom after hearing gunshots.
“Of course you’re in panic mode, but I knew they were in really good hands with my mom,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell raced to the scene, trying to maintain contact with her family. Police had the area locked-down within minutes, clearing every room one-by-one with the help of SWAT.
Mitchell said she got ahold of a neighboring business owner who was also locked in and was able to check on her mother and daughters.
Mitchell explained it would be over an hour before they were reunited outside the crime scene tape. In the aftermath, Mitchell said her daughters went through counseling and now speak less about the tragedy.
“It’s been a road of recovery not just for the business, but for my girls and my mom,” Mitchell said.
Mayor Lenny Curry issued a statement looking back on the tragedy.
“It’s a terrible day. A day that represented the worst in humanity but also demonstrated the best from our first responders,” Curry said. “Firefighters ran in to the building not knowing what they were running into, and they did it to save lives. Our prayers remain with the families and we are grateful for the work of first responders that day.”