FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — It’s the attack that shocked a community and captivated the attention of people across the country.
Edward Kang, a 20-year-old man from New Jersey, is behind bars and faced a judge on Thursday after being accused of flying to Florida to attack someone with a hammer because of a dispute in an online video game.
Kang and his attorneys asked the judge to set bond for his second degree attempted murder charge after he was accused of flying to Florida to beat a man from Nassau County with a hammer because of a video game dispute. The judge denied the motion for bond.
Kang stood before a judge in a Zoom call from the Nassau County Jail in a bond hearing for his second degree attempted murder and armed burglary charges. His mother joined the call from New Jersey as Kang’s defense attorney made the case to release his client from custody.
“My client as I understand it has no prior criminal record of any kind, not as an adult, not as a juvenile, he’s not had any contact whatsoever with the criminal justice system,” said Kang's attorney.
Prosecutors didn’t care about his past before Sunday morning.
“He has no ties to the community," said prosecutor Karl Green, "he traveled from New York with the expressed purpose of committing a crime in Florida and our community here.”
Kang was arrested on Sunday, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said he flew from New Jersey to Jacksonville on Friday to carry out his crimes.
Store employees at the Ace Hardware on South 8th Street in Fernandina Beach confirmed to First Coast News that Kang bought a hammer at their store this weekend.
Employees at the Ocean Coast Hotel also confirmed to First Coast News that Kang booked this room at their hotel and had a check-out date of Sunday, the same day as the attack.
Kang could be seen wiping away tears multiple times while the prosecution made its case to the judge.
“Attempted murder with a weapon is a first degree felony punishable by life and we ask you to detain him without bond," said Green.
As Kang continued to wipe away tears, the judge issued his ruling.
“I must order pre-trial detention, I believe that no condition of release or bail will protect the community from physical harm,” said Judge Steven Fahlgren.
Edward Kang was denied bond and remains in the Nassau County jail while he awaits trial for second degree attempted murder after being accused of attacking a man with a hammer over a dispute in a video game.
The county clerk’s office says the State Attorney’s Office could upgrade his charges.