Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, Orlando, Florida downtown shooter kills 2, wounds 6 during Halloween street revelries. No known motive.
A 17 yer old teen killed two, injured six after opening gunfire in Orlando as thousands of revelers gathered along the streets celebrating Halloween, Florida police said.
Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, was arrested after gunshots were heard in two different locations. The teen was apprehended after he was tackled by police, Orlando police Chief Eric Smith told reporters, Thursday night.
At the time of the mass shooting, between 50,000 and 100,000 were in downtown the police chief said, noting that Halloween is one of the city’s busiest nights.
‘He pretty much walked into downtown, walked into the street and did what he did,’ Chief Smith said, adding that the teen suspect did not walk into any clubs.
Surveillance video shows hundreds of people running for their lives after gunshots were heard in the downtown area of the city, FOX35 reported.
The ages of the victims range from 19 to 39 years old, Smith said; the dead and injured have not yet been identified as their families continue to be informed.
The individuals injured are in stable condition, police added.
Young people – many wearing Halloween costumes – had been out partying Thursday night in the area before gunfire erupted.
An emergency call came in just after 1am, with reports that several people had been shot around Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue, according to the Orlando Police Department.
A second call came in from out of Washington Street and Orange Avenue, Smith said.
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Un adolescente de 17 años, Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, abrió fuego en el centro de Orlando, donde la gente celebraba la festividad en los bares y restaurantes de la zona.
Al menos dos personas fueron… pic.twitter.com/lY0K10bk0l
— El Ojo (@ElOjoEn) November 1, 2024
Police had already been present at the scene and ran towards the gunfire, Smith said, leading to the swift arrest of the suspect, the police chief said.
‘Shortly after reported shots fired, a shooting suspect was located and taken into custody at Washington and Orange,’ Smith said in his briefing this morning.
No firearms were used in the arrest with the only shots being fired by the gunman during the incident, the police chief said.
Dozens of police cars and scores of cops were seen attending the scene in the early hours of this morning.
‘The Orlando Police Department is conducting a shooting investigation in Downtown Orlando,’ the force said in a statement.
‘We are still gathering information and interviewing witnesses. We will have more information later this morning.’
Officials said they are considering charging the suspect as an adult.
The downtown shooting follows Edgar previously being arrested for grand theft in 2023.
Officials have yet to say what motivated Edgar.
A separate shooting in Washington State last night saw one person killed at a shopping complex which was hosting a ‘trick-or-treat’ Halloween event.
