A television journalist was fatally shot in Florida on Wednesday while reporting on a separate deadly shooting earlier that day.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, officers were investigating a homicide in Pine Hills, Florida, where a woman was killed. Two reporters from Florida’s Spectrum News 13 were at the scene covering the incident when authorities responded to another shooting around 4:05 p.m.
Responding officers found the two journalists with gunshot wounds near their media van. Nearby, a mother and her 9-year-old daughter were also discovered with gunshot injuries.
All four individuals were transported to hospitals. Tragically, the child and one of the journalists succumbed to their injuries.
The slain journalist was identified by Spectrum News 13 early Thursday as 24-year-old Dylan Lyons, originally from Philadelphia, who attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
The cable network also reported that photojournalist Jesse Walden sustained critical injuries in the incident.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office identified the woman killed in the earlier shooting as Nathacha Augustin, 38, and the child as 9-year-old T’yonna Major. T’yonna’s mother survived the shooting.
A suspect, 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, was apprehended nearby. Orange County Sheriff John Mina indicated that Moses would face charges related to the initial killing, with additional charges expected due to the subsequent shootings.
Sheriff Mina expressed uncertainty about the motive behind the attack on the journalists and other victims, noting that Moses was acquainted with the woman killed earlier and had an extensive criminal record.
“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for the community and our media partners,” Sheriff Mina stated at a news conference.
Other reporters were present when the gunman targeted the Spectrum News journalists. Nick Papantonis, a reporter for Florida’s WFTV, recounted the harrowing experience on Twitter, describing how the suspect approached their crew and opened fire.
Luana Munoz, a reporter at WESH 2 Orlando, became emotional during a live report, reflecting on the close-knit journalist community in the area and the challenging nature of covering such events.
In response to the tragedy, the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the shooting, emphasizing the need for journalists to be able to carry out their work without fearing for their safety.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also offered condolences on Twitter, denouncing the pervasive gun violence that continues to devastate communities.
