A shooting in downtown Orlando early Friday morning killed two people and injured six others, according to authorities.
Police detained the suspect, 17-year-old Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, on the scene, according to an emailed statement to Newsweek.
The shooting occurred eight years after the June 12, 2016, mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, in which 29-year-old Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others.
At 1:07 a.m. on Friday, police responded to an emergency call reporting a shooting near Orange Avenue and Central Boulevard.
According to a police report, officers witnessed a second shooting within minutes south of Washington Street on Orange Avenue.
According to the Orlando Police Department, the two victims that died were a black male, 25, and a white male, 19.
The remaining six injured victims comprised three males and three women aged 19 to 39, all of whom had gunshot wounds in various regions of their bodies.
Police also reported that a crowd rushing to flee trampled a woman, inflicting injuries.
Police reported that those injured in the attack are in stable condition at the Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Authorities say they previously arrested the suspect in Friday’s shooting for grand theft in 2023.
State Attorney Andrew Bain stated that they were considering trying the suspect as an adult.
“Obviously, due to the multiple victims and the brazen nature of the crime, there are several aggravating factors that fit within the matrix to charge him as an adult,” he stated at a presser.
In the press conference, Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said he believed he was the only person involved in the incident, but he had not yet determined a motive. They found a pistol at the site.
During the news conference, Smith played video of crowds fleeing as gunshots rang out, as well as footage of police rapidly apprehending the culprit.
People were celebrating Halloween in the area, which is home to numerous bars and clubs.
WOFL in Orlando provided a video showing hundreds of people rushing down a roadway. We spot several police officers running in the opposite direction.
The incident resulted in the dispatch of approximately 100 officers, according to Orlando police.
Because of the enormity of the gathering, authorities said they had yet to ascertain who, if anyone, was the shooter’s intended target. The investigation is underway.
Several videos posted to social media show partygoers fleeing after the gunman opened fire. One disturbing video appears to show numerous injured persons lying in the roadway.
Orlando police first acknowledged the investigation in a tweet on X, formerly Twitter, at 2:17 a.m. “The Orlando Police Department is investigating a shooting in downtown Orlando. We’re currently collecting information and questioning witnesses.”
Maxwell Frost, a Florida politician, tweeted on X: “Please avoid downtown Orlando. Reports indicate numerous shooting incidents. Be safe.”
