JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Two innocent people were killed and nine others injured Sunday after a Maryland man fired into a crowd of people at a Jacksonville, Florida, video game tournament. One of those survivors, a man from Central Texas.
Tony Montagnino of Round Rock said he was shot in the lower back while playing in the Madden tournament.
By Sunday night, he was already out of the hospital, up and moving at a Florida hotel.
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"I got hospital scrubs on, it's bandaged up pretty tight because for about two hours it was just bleeding and they couldn't get it to quit," Montagnino told KVUE, talking about his bullet wound in his lower back.
He's one of the many people shot at on Sunday afternoon during the Madden Championship Series competition at Chicago Pizza at The Jacksonville Landing.
The shots were heard on video as two gamers competed in the tournament. Montagnino said he was right behind them. When he turned around, that's when he said a bullet came his way.
"I saw just flashes from the gun and I dove,” he remembered. "The thought that you're laying there and this could possibly be the end and you can't even tell the people that you care about them … it's pretty rough."
His friend, David Thompson, said he felt heartbroken and reached out immediately when he heard the news.
"I immediately texted him and when I got no response, I kind of got worried," Thompson said. "Oh, my heart jumped in my throat like I was … I actually didn't know what to do."
Now, Montagnino, a husband and father of two, is grateful for this second chance.
"I get an opportunity to hug my family ... it's almost like a second shot at life," he said.
Montagnino's wife and sister both took a flight out to Florida to meet him. Though he said he’s very sore right now, they're expected to return to Round Rock on Monday.
Thompson said Montagnino is one of the top Madden gamers in the country.