After a television news journalist and a 9-year-old girl were fatally shot Wednesday while police investigated a homicide in the same area, authorities in Orlando, Florida, arrested Melvin Moses, 19, the suspect in the series of shootings.
The journalist was identified as Dylan Lyons, an on-air reporter for Spectrum News 13.
Authorities were at the scene and collecting evidence after a woman was found shot earlier the same day.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina confirmed Wednesday evening that homicide detectives responded to the scene at around 11:17 a.m. ET after the woman in her 20s was found dead.
Later at 4:05 p.m. ET, police say they received emergency calls to the scene where Mina said they responded to reports of another shooting at the same location, along with an additional shooting nearby.
#Breaking — A Spectrum News 13 reporter and photographer were shot at the scene of a homicide investigation. One has died, according to the sheriff. https://t.co/xMCKBfUlO1
— Spectrum News 13 (@MyNews13) February 23, 2023
Spectrum News 13 reported, citing Mina, that the suspect returned to the scene of the homicide investigation and shot a reporter and a photographer who were there covering the news.
The journalist, who was not immediately named, died from their injures and the Sun Sentinel reported that the Spectrum News 13 photographer was listed in critical condition, citing details from police.
The suspect then entered a nearby home and shot a woman and her 9-year-old daughter, Mina told reporters Wednesday. The girl was killed.
Police said they did not find any apparent connection between the suspect and the mother and her child, and weren't sure if he knew that the other two shot nearby were news media.
“We don’t know why he entered that home," Mina said.
Mina told reporters that he didn't think the Spectrum News vehicle stood out as a vehicle used by the media, but it wasn't clear what the suspect thought at the time.
"The suspect is not saying much right now," Mina said. "It is unclear if he knew they were news media or not."
WFTV had journalists at the scene who were not injured and said the gunman walked by them and approached the News 13 van, and opened fire.
