Jacksonville Shooting Survivor From Md. Tells Story, Files Lawsuit

PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP/WJZ) -- Jacob Mitich was one of 10 people injured Sunday during a Madden NFL 19 tournament in Florida. Three died, including the shooter.

Now, Mitich is filing a lawsuit against the game developer that held the Jacksonville tournament, the pizza parlor that hosted the event and the mall where it was located.

The 23-year-old college student from Fallston, Maryland, had made it to Round Two of the esports tournament when the shots rang out.

Vaulting over a table, he scrambled to exit the crowded room. He later realized he'd been shot in the leg. Mitich was released from the hospital that night and flew home Monday morning.

His attorney James Young said the lawsuit alleges negligence. He released a statement Thursday regarding the lawsuit:

"Like many of his friends, Jacob Mitich traveled to Jacksonville last weekend to do what he loved. He trusted the event host and organizers, and believed that he was walking into a safe space. That trust was shattered when shots rang out in an over-crowded, since-shut-down, non-permitted space. Combined with an alleged abject failure to provide adequate security, the result was tragic. We are bringing this lawsuit to hold those responsible accountable, and to ensure that gamers like Jake are able to get together to pursue their passion without having to fear for their lives."

Young said he believes too many people were in too small a space.

"The way that the contestants were crammed into a room was very different," Young said. "And he (Mitich) had a bad feeling after the first day that it was too tight,"

Young contends that made it difficult to get out of the room, especially when Katz began shooting.

"Particularly in an emergent situation like a shooting, it absolutely contributed to the harm that people suffered," Young said.

Jacob Mitich was shot in the leg and is back home in Maryland.

According to Young, Mitich has had to push back the start of college and Young is encouraging him to undergo trauma counseling.

"We're hopeful he's going to put his life back together," Young said.

Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)