A Florida reporter was gunned down on Wednesday while reporting on the scene of a homicide investigation.
Police believe the man they arrested for murdering the reporter, and critically wounding one of his colleagues, is also responsible for murdering a 9-year-old girl around the same time and for the murder the reporter had been covering.
Dylan Lyons, a reporter for Spectrum News 13 in Orlando, was reporting on the scene of a homicide that occurred earlier in the day.
About five hours after that murder, Lyons and Spectrum News 13 photojournalist Jesse Walden were working near the scene of the crime when they were shot. Lyons died, while Walden was left critically injured.
Just minutes later, on a nearby street, a 9-year-old girl was shot and killed, police said. Her mother was also shot, but she survived. Police later identified the girl as T'yonna Major.
Spectrum News said in a statement:
We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and the other lives senselessly taken today. Our thoughts are with our employee’s family, friends and co-workers during this very difficult time. We remain hopeful that our other colleague who was injured makes a full recovery. This is a terrible tragedy for the Orlando community.
The shocking incident drew national attention and even received a response from the White House.
"Our hearts go out to the family of the journalist killed today and the crew member injured in Orange County, Florida, as well as the whole Spectrum News team," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "Our hearts are also with the other shooting victims today, their families, and the entire community. Too many lives are being ripped apart by gun violence."
Police believe that one man is responsible for each shooting. That person was taken into custody at the site of the last shooting.
"So we have detained the person believed to be responsible for the murder this morning as well as the shootings this afternoon," Orange County Sheriff John Mina said. "He is 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses. He is being formally charged in the murder from this morning, and we expect additional charges for the shootings of the four people this afternoon.
\u201cThis is 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, the suspect in a series of shootings today that left three dead, in OCSO custody. This is a sad day for our community. Three were murdered today, including a woman in her 20s, a 9-year-old girl and a @MyNews13 employee.\u201d— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@Orange County Sheriff's Office) 1677118187
According to Mina, the suspect has an expansive criminal history.
"At 19, he has a lengthy criminal history, to include gun charges, aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft charges," Mina said.
The motive for the shootings remain unclear. Law enforcement said the suspect knew the first victim, but it's not clear if the subsequent victims were targeted or if the perpetrator acted randomly.
Orlando journalist killed while reporting at murder scene identified www.youtube.com
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If Casey Fite conceives a child with the sperm she had harvested from her deceased fiance, she will be knowingly welcoming a child into fatherlessness.
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