Florida journalist gunned down while covering scene of earlier fatal shooting

[The Bobster]

Florida journalist gunned down while covering scene of earlier fatal shooting

A Florida man is accused of killing a woman Wednesday morning and then returning to the scene where reporters were gathered to shoot four more people — including a child and a journalist who …

nypost.com

Florida journalist gunned down while covering scene of earlier fatal shooting​

By
Allie Griffin


February 22, 2023 8:09pm
Updated

​

A Florida journalist and a 9-year-old girl were gunned down Wednesday afternoon by a suspect wanted in an earlier fatal shooting at the same scene, authorities said.
Two others were also wounded, including a second Spectrum News 13 journalist, in the 4 p.m. gunfire on Hialeah Street in Pine Hills, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.
The unthinkable horror began around 11 a.m. when the suspected gunman, 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, allegedly shot and killed a 20-year-old woman sitting in a car on the street, Mina said.
Moses allegedly returned to the scene five hours later and fired rounds at a Spectrum News 13 crew who were there reporting on the initial homicide.
Both a News 13 reporter and photographer who were in and near their news van were shot. The 24-year-old reporter, identified by family early Thursday as Dylan Lyons, died. The photographer was hospitalized in critical condition, Mina said.

The reporter was identified as 24-year-old Dylan Lyons.Facebook The suspect, Keith Melvin Moses, allegedly shot a 20-year-old woman earlier in the day. OrangeCoSheriff/Twitter
Shortly after, Moses allegedly stormed into a house on Hialeah Street, where he shot a 9-year-old girl and her mother. The child died of her injuries in the hospital, while her mother is fighting for her life, the sheriff said.


Officers arrested Moses following the later shootings and confirmed he was also a suspect in the slaughter of the 20-year-old woman. He was charged with one count of murder for the morning killing and is expected to face further charges for the second and third shootings, Mina said.


He was armed with a handgun — which officers believe is the murder weapon — when apprehended by police.


“At 19, he had a lengthy criminal history to [sic] include gun charges, aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and grand theft charges,” Mina said of the suspect.

The 19-year-old allegedly returned to the scene five hours later and fired rounds at a News 13 crew who were there reporting on the initial homicide.OrangeCoSheriff/Twitter Five people were shot, three fatally, in Pine Hills on Wednesday. Spectrum News 13
Mina said the first victim was believed to be an acquaintance of Moses, but there is as yet no known connection between the suspect and his later targets. Deputies are investigating a motive.


The sheriff also said it’s unclear if Moses specifically targeted the News 13 team because they were journalists.


“The suspect is not saying much right now,” Mina said. “It is unclear if he knew they were news media or not.”


He added that the team’s van was not clearly distinguishable as a news van, but said that the photographer’s equipment was visible.

Moses has a lengthy rap sheet and was armed when arrested by deputies, according to police.Spectrum News 13
“No one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old, certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence,” Mina said.


Homicide detectives and other law enforcement officers had cleared the scene of the initial morning murder by the time of the afternoon shootings, he added.




“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and the other lives senselessly taken today,” Spectrum News said in a statement.


“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,” Spectrum’s parent company Charter Communications said in a statement Wednesday night. “This is a terrible tragedy for the Orlando community.”


Spectrum reporter Celeste Springer grew emotional in a live broadcast from the hospital, where her colleague remains in critical condition.


“This is extremely devastating for all of us, but I’m proud to have such an amazing team backing all of us,” Springer said on air. “We really are such an incredible family here tonight and of course, we’re all praying for our news member who’s in the hospital right now.”


“A couple hours ago before we learned that our news member had passed away, we all sat in a circle here and said a quick prayer and all I can ask for anyone watching at home right now is please, please say a prayer tonight for our co-worker who is in critical condition and while you’re at it, please say a prayer for every victim of gun violence in this country,” she said, tearing up.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the other victims are in critical condition.AP
Another News 13 co-worker announced the critically injured journalist was improving later that night.


“In one good news update — our other co-worker who was critically injured in this shooting is alert and speaking to investigators and the medical team,” Spectrum News hurricane specialist Zach Covey said. “We are hopeful for a full and swift recovery.”


He asked others to keep the team in their thoughts as they cope with the loss of one of their own.


“Please – keep my News 13 family in your thoughts tonight and for the next several days,” Covey tweeted. “I’m going to pull back from social for a little while I process tonight. Please respect our distance during this time.”

Police are investigating a motive in the shootings. Spectrum News 13 Mina said the first victim was believed to be an acquaintance of Moses.AP
The Biden administration offered its condolences to the families of the two journalists following the news.


“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 tweeted.


US Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called the shooting “absolutely horrible.”


“My team and I are closely monitoring the situation and keeping these Floridians and their families in our prayers,” Scott said.

 

[The Bobster]

Video shows chaotic arrest of Florida teen accused of killing TV reporter and 9-year-old girl

The footage shows police units confronting the accused triple-murderer on a residential street and yelling at him to get on the ground.

nypost.com

Video shows chaotic arrest of Florida teen accused of killing TV reporter and 9-year-old girl​

By
Selim Algar


February 23, 2023 6:45pm
Updated










Florida police released dramatic bodycam footage showing the arrest of a teen suspected of fatally shooting three people Wednesday – including a local TV journalist and a defenseless 9-year-old girl.
“Ah cain’t breeve Keith Moses, 19, repeatedly screams as Orange County Sheriff’s Office Deputies take him to the ground. “I can’t breathe!”
The footage shows police units confronting the accused triple-murderer on a residential street and yelling at him to get on the ground.
Moses refuses the commands and raises his arms to his sides before being tackled.
“Let me go!” he shouts as deputies slap on handcuffs. “Let me go! I can’t breathe!”
As Moses continues wailing, deputies can be seen retrieving a gun from his pant leg.


1 of 10

The 19-year-old was taken to the ground Wednesday following the shooting. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook

Moses had refused commands during the arrest. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook

Moses had allegedly returned to the scene of the shooting and fired on two Spectrum 13 journalists. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook

Police units confronted Moses, yelling at him to get on the ground before tackling him. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook

Moses had yelled out “I can’t breathe” while being subdued. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook

A gun was retrieved from Moses’ pant leg. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook

Moses was detained by police following the suspected shooting. Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida/Facebook





“It’s still hot,” one states after retrieving the weapon.


Moses, 19, was traveling in a car with his cousin and a 38-year-old acquaintance named Nathacha Augustin Wednesday morning in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood when the killing spree began.

Kelvin Moses is taken into custody after allegedly killing three and injuring two others.OrangeCoSheriff/Twitter
Cops said he fatally blasted Augustin inside the vehicle around 11 a.m. then fled the area.


Four hours later, Moses returned to the scene of Augustin’s murder and coldly shot Spectrum 13 journalists Dylan Lyons, 24, and Jesse Walden as they sat in an unmarked car while covering the initial crime, officials said.

T’Yonna Major was brutally killed Wednedsay.
Lyons, who was engaged to be married, was later pronounced dead at a local hospital while Walden, a photographer, survived the attack and continued to improve Thursday.


The homicidal rampage then continued, as Moses marched into another home on a nearby street and began firing at 9-year-old T’Yonna Major and her unidentified mother.


The child – described as a bubbly aspiring gymnast – died from her wounds at a local hospital, while her parent remains in critical condition.

Dylan Lyons was identified as the Spectrum 13 journalist killed in Florida on Wednesday.Facebook
Her stunned father, Tokiyo Major, mourned his daughter in a heartbreaking GoFundMe post.


“She was a light to everyone that knew her,” he wrote. “She was everything to us. She was a great student at the top of her 3rd grade class and reading at a 5th grade level.”


Orange County Sheriff John Mina did not provide a motive for any of the shootings Thursday, and said Moses was not speaking.

Moses was confronted by police following the suspected shooting, refusing commands from police officers. Getty Images
Cops said he was initially taken to a hospital after his arrest because deputies thought he might be under the influence of drugs.


Once at the facility, Moses began brawling with hospital staffers before deputies had to subdue him once again.


He continued to attack officers after being transferred to a local station house, Mina said.

The Florida TV station photographer critically wounded in a shooting has been identified as Jesse Walden.Linktree/@Jessewalden
Moses refused to talk to deputies about the slayings and at one point pretended to fall asleep to avoid engagement, Mina said.


He is currently facing second-degree murder charges related to Augustin’s death, and a slew of additional charges are expected to follow.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the other victims are in critical condition.Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/AP
Mina previously disclosed Moses’ long criminal history, which includes gun, battery, assault and grand theft charges.


State Attorney Monique Worrell appeared alongside the sheriff at a press conference Thursday, and addressed critics who’ve questioned why Moses was on the street, given his prolific criminal past.


Worrell said he had only one arrest since becoming adult, a 2021 marijuana possession charge that was later dropped.