Orlando shooting – live: Suspect pretended to be asleep during police interview, sheriff says

A 19-year-old gunman accused of killing a nine-year-old girl and a local journalist reporting on his earlier homicide in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday had a “lengthy” criminal record, local authorities have said.

A 20-year-old woman had been shot dead earlier on Wednesday, prompting a crew from a local news channel reaching the spot in the Pine Hills area to cover the incident on the same day, where a journalist and a videographer was shot when the suspect returned to the scene.

Sheriff John Mina said during a press conference on Thursday that the suspect Keith Melvin Moses pretended to be asleep during an interview with police.

He added that he was taken to hospital after saying that he was unable to breathe. There, he fought with medical staff and had to be restrained. He then also become physical with detectives and had to be restrained again, the sheriff said.

Sheriff Mina said it was a “random act of violence” and that the Sheriff’s office is still working to establish why the shooting take place.

“This was not gang-related,” he added.

Key Points

• Sheriff says it’s ‘unclear’ if suspects new victims were journalists

• ‘He loved his career. He loved what he did'

• ‘This is extremely devastating for all of us’: Colleague of slain journalist speaks out

• Colleagues pay tribute to slain reporter

• Recap: TV journalist and girl, nine, shot dead at scene of previous homicide in Florida

Body camera footage to be released later on Thursday, sheriff says

17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Sheriff John Mina said during a press briefing that body camera footage showing the arrest of suspect Keith Melvin Moses, 19, will be released later on Thursday.

He said the suspect was acting erratically and that it appeared as if the suspect was under the influence of some kind of drug, but he emphasised that this hasn’t been confirmed.

Suspect pretended to be asleep during police interview, sheriff says

17:12 , Gustaf Kilander

Sheriff John Mina said during a press conference on Thursday that the suspect Keith Melvin Moses pretended to be asleep during an interview with police.

He added that he was taken to hospital after saying that he was unable to breathe. There, he fought with medical staff and had to be restrained. He then also become physical with detectives and had to be restrained again, the sheriff said.

Sheriff Mina said it was a “random act of violence” and that the Sheriff’s office is still working to establish why the shooting take place.

Sheriff says it’s ‘unclear’ if suspects new victims were journalists

17:00 , AP

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a news conference on Wednesday that “the suspect is not saying much right now. It is unclear if he knew they were news media or not. We’re still trying to work all that out”.

Mina said the News 13 vehicle did not look like a typical news van with TV station markings.

Deputies had initially responded to the Pine Hills area, just northwest of Orlando, on Wednesday morning following reports of a woman in her 20s being shot.

Moses “was an acquaintance of the woman this morning, but as far as we know, had no connection to the reporters and no connection to the mother and the 9-year-old,” Mina said.

According to witnesses, a man approached the news vehicle later Wednesday and opened fire, hitting the two reporters. The man then walked to a nearby home and shot the mother and daughter.

WFTV crews, who were also reporting on the morning shooting, tried to give medical aid to the Spectrum 13 journalists.

‘He loved his career. He loved what he did'

16:30 , Joe Sommerlad

In a moving tribute to Lyons, his Spectrum News colleagues explained that he had been born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but had moved to the Sunshine State to study at the University of Central Florida, beginning his media career in Gainesville after graduating.

“He took his job very seriously,” remembered his friend Josh Miller, a sports reporter with the network.

“He loved his career. He loved what he did. He loved the community, telling the stories of people, reporting on the news, and he was just passionate about what he did.

“When he was out of the news station, he was still talking about how much he wanted to succeed at his job, talking about how much he loved Orlando.”

Dylan Lyons had already received an award from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists and been a finalist for another, his obituary records.

‘A terrible tragedy for the Orlando community’

16:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Celeste Springer, a colleague of Lyons, bravely spoke on air just hours after the tragedy and said: “This is extremely devastating for all of us. But I am proud to have such an amazing team backing all of us.

“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.”

Spectrum News itself issued a statement that read: “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.”

‘This is extremely devastating for all of us’: Colleague of slain journalist speaks out

15:30 , Joe Sommerlad

A Florida TV reporter shot dead while covering an earlier homicide in Pine Hills, Orlando, on Wednesday afternoon has been named by his employer as Dylan Lyons.

The 24-year-old journalist was killed when the suspected gunman – since apprehended, charged with murder and named as Keith Melvin Moses, 19 – returned to the scene of the earlier killing and fired into the Spectrum News 13 van, shooting Lyons dead and leaving photographer Jesse Walden with critical injuries.

The suspect then entered a nearby house and shot a mother and daughter, killing the nine-year-old and leaving the parent injured.

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Orange County sheriff John Mina said during a press conference on Wednesday evening.

Celeste Springer, a colleague of Lyons, bravely spoke on air just hours after the tragedy and said: “This is extremely devastating for all of us. But I am proud to have such an amazing team backing all of us.

Florida TV reporter killed while covering a fatal shooting

15:00 , AP

A Florida television station identified Thursday a 24-year-old reporter who was fatally shot while covering a shooting death in an Orlando area neighborhood, as well as its photojournalist who was critically injured in the rampage.

Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons and photojournalist Jesse Walden were in their unmarked news vehicle on Wednesday afternoon when a man approached and shot them, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said in a news conference. The man then went to a nearby home where he fatally shot a 9-year-old girl and critically injured her mother.

The sheriff said they’ve detained Keith Melvin Moses, 19, who they believe is responsible for both shootings.

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mina told a room full of reporters. “I work closely with all of you and know many of you and know the very difficult job that you do and also the very important job that you do for our community and for law enforcement. No one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old and certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence in our community.”

Mina said they don’t immediately have a motive for any of the shootings.

Read more:

Florida TV reporter killed while covering a fatal shooting

TV journalist breaks down on camera reporting on death of fellow reporter in Orlando mass shooting

14:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A TV reporter in Orlando, Florida, where three people were fatally shot by a 19-year-old gunman on Wednesday, broke down on camera while reporting the death of her fellow journalist.

Emmy award-winning journalist Luana Munoz, who works with WESH News in Orlando, could barely keep it together while giving a piece to the camera late on Wednesday.

Munoz began with a shaky voice: “This is really difficult to cover. It is very emotional here at ORMC (Orlando Regional Medical Center).”

A nine-year-old girl and a Spectrum News 13 journalist were among the two people who were shot and killed after an earlier homicide in Orlando, according to Orange County sheriff John Mina.

A 20-year-old woman had been shot dead earlier on Wednesday, leading to a crew from the local news channel reaching the spot at the Pine Hills area to cover the incident on the same day.

Read more:

TV journalist breaks down on camera reporting on death of fellow journalist

Colleagues pay tribute to slain reporter

14:00 , Megan Sheets

Here’s what the grieving Spectrum News 13 staff have had to say about their late co-worker Dylan Lyons in the wake of having to announce his tragic killing.

Journalist killed in Orlando shooting identified as local reporter Dylan Lyons

Recap: TV journalist and girl, nine, shot dead at scene of previous homicide in Florida

13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Four people were shot, two of them fatally, at a homicide crime scene outside of Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, according to police.

The victims included a nine-year-old girl and an Orlando-based TV journalist who was producing a story about a woman who was found shot dead at the location in Pine Hills earlier in the day.

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Read the full story by Josh Marcus here:

TV journalist and 9-year-old shot dead at previous homicide crime scene in Florida

ICYMI: Reporter breaks down over killing of TV journalist

12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Tearfully reporting on the loss of one of the TV journalists that lost their life in the Orlando shooting yesterday, a journalist from another channel said that it was “every reporter’s absolutely worst nightmare”.

In a video that has since been widely shared, she says: “We go home at night afraid that something like this will occur and that is what happened here.”

A nine-year-old girl and a local TV journalist were among the two people who were shot and killed after an earlier homicide in Orlando on Wednesday.

Journalist killed in Orlando shooting named as Dylan Lyons

11:20 , Joe Sommerlad

The reporter shot dead yesterday has been named by his employer as Dylan Lyons, 24, originally from Philadelphia before moving to central Florida to pursue his career in broadcasting.

Spectrum News 13 has written an extensive tribute piece to him you can read here.

ICYMI: White House expresses condolences over Orlando shooting

11:00 , Joe Sommerlad

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has tweeted her condolences to the families of the victims of the Orlando shootings.

The alleged gunman had opened fire on the crew of news channel Spectrum News 13, killing a local journalist and a photographer who were employed by the organisation.

“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 13 team,” she tweeted.

ICYMI: Orlando shooting suspect has ‘lengthy’ criminal history, sheriff says

10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Keith Melvin Moses, a 19-year-old identified as a suspect in the Orlando shooting that killed three, including a nine-year-old, has a “lengthy” criminal history, according to Orange County sheriff John Mina.

The sheriff listed out the charges against Mr Moses, including gun charges, aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft charges.“It is unclear if [the suspect] knew if they were news media or not,” Mr Mina said.

“We’re still trying to work all of that out. That vehicle was almost exactly in the same spot as the vehicle from the homicide this morning. So it’s unclear why exactly they were targeted.”

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mr Mina said.

“I work closely with all of you... no one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old, certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence.”

The alleged gunman knew the homicide victim from earlier in the day, according to media reports.

It’s unclear why the other victims were shot at.

‘Please say a prayer for every victim of gun violence’, Spectrum 13 reporter urges

09:00 , Joe Sommerlad

A reporter for Spectrum News 13 urged the audience live on air to “say a prayer for our co-worker” after the Orlando shootings.

A journalist working for the news channel, who was reporting from the scene of an earlier homicide, was shot and killed by the suspected gunman while a photographer employed by the organisation is in critical conditionSpectrum News 13has not identified the crew members, according to a story on the TV station’s website.

“This is extremely devastating for all of us. But I am proud to have such an amazing team backing all of us,” Spectrum News 13journalist Celeste Springer said live on air.

“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.”

ICYMI: A timeline of Orlando shootings

08:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A woman in her 20s was shot and killed on Hialeah Drive in Pine Hills around 11am on Wednesday.

“Our homicide detectives responded to that scene, conducted follow-up, collected evidence, and developed good leads on a suspect, in that case, this morning,” said Orange County deputies.

Around 4.05pm in the evening on the same day, deputies again received calls reporting two shootings on Hialeah Drive and on nearby Harrington Street.

The sheriff’s office said that on Hialeah Drive, two Spectrum News 13 journalists – a reporter and a photographer – were shot. Both were in the area covering the shooting of the 20-year-old woman.

The reporter died, while the photographer is in critical condition.

On Harrington Street, a nine-year-old girl and her mother were shot inside their home by the gunman. The nine-year-old lost her life while her mother was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition.

Reporter breaks down over killing of TV journalist

06:57 , Joe Sommerlad

Tearfully reporting on the loss of one of the TV journalists that lost their life in the Orlando shooting yesterday, a journalist from another channel said that it was “every reporter’s absolutely worst nightmare”.

In a video that has since been widely shared, she says: “We go home at night afraid that something like this will occur and that is what happened here.”

White House expresses condolences over Orlando shooting

06:27 , Joe Sommerlad

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has tweeted her condolences to the families of the victims of the Orlando shootings.

The alleged gunman had opened fire on the crew of news channel Spectrum News 13, killing a local journalist and a photographer who were employed by the organisation.

“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 13 team,” she tweeted.

Timeline of Orlando shootings

06:23 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A woman in her 20s was shot and killed on Hialeah Drive in Pine Hills around 11am on Wednesday.

“Our homicide detectives responded to that scene, conducted follow-up, collected evidence, and developed good leads on a suspect, in that case, this morning,” said Orange County deputies.

Around 4.05pm in the evening on the same day, deputies again received calls reporting two shootings on Hialeah Drive and on nearby Harrington Street.

The sheriff’s office said that on Hialeah Drive, two Spectrum News 13 journalists – a reporter and a photographer – were shot. Both were in the area covering the shooting of the 20-year-old woman.

The reporter died, while the photographer is in critical condition.

On Harrington Street, a nine-year-old girl and her mother were shot inside their home by the gunman. The nine-year-old lost her life while her mother was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition.

Orlando shooting suspect has ‘lengthy’ criminal history, sheriff says

05:38 , Joe Sommerlad

Keith Melvin Moses, a 19-year-old identified as a suspect in the Orlando shooting that killed three, including a nine-year-old, has a “lengthy” criminal history, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

The sheriff listed out the charges against Mr Moses, including gun charges, aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft charges.“It is unclear if [the suspect] knew if they were news media or not,” Mr Mina said.

“We’re still trying to work all of that out. That vehicle was almost exactly in the same spot as the vehicle from the homicide this morning. So it’s unclear why exactly they were targeted.”

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mr Mina said.

“I work closely with all of you... no one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old, certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence.”

The alleged gunman knew the homicide victim from earlier in the day, according to media reports.

It’s unclear why the other victims were shot at.

Florida Sheriffs Association issues statement on shooting

05:18 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Florida Sheriffs Association has issued a statement over the Orlando shooting that led to five people being shot at the scene of an earlier homicide, leading to three deaths, including one of a local journalist.

“This is a tragic and sad day, especially for those in the Orange County community,” tweeted the association.

“Hard to put all of this into words right now, but we ask for your prayers for the impacted families and for those that are injured fighting for their lives.”

TV channel says 'terrible tragedy for Orlando community'

04:53 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The death of a journalist who was among the three people shot dead at the scene of an earlier homicide in Orlando was mourned by the news channel.

Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum News 13, shared a statement on Twitter. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and the other lives senselessly taken today,” it said.

The statement also voiced concern for a photographer employed by the news channel who was in a critical condition after the shooting.

“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.”

19-year-old suspect taken into custody

04:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Orange County sheriff John Mina said during a news conference yesterday evening that they’ve detained Keith Melvin Moses, 19, who they believe is responsible for both shootings in the Orlando-area neighbourhood.

One TV journalist and a 9-year-old girl were fatally shot by the gunman around 4pm yesterday. A TV crewmember and the girl’s mother were wounded during the second shooting. They were in critical condition at a local hospital.

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mr Mina told a room full of reporters. “I work closely with all of you and know many of you and know the very difficult job that you do and also the very important job that you do for our community and for law enforcement. No one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old and certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence in our community.”

Mr Mina said they don’t immediately have a motive for any of the shootings.

TV journalist and girl, 9, shot dead at scene of previous homicide crime scene in Florida

04:08 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Four people were shot, two of them fatally, at a homicide crime scene outside of Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, according to police.

The victims included a nine-year-old girl and an Orlando-based TV journalist who was producing a story about a woman who was found shot dead at the location in Pine Hills earlier in the day.

Read the full story by Josh Marcus here:

TV journalist and 9-year-old shot dead at previous homicide crime scene in Florida

03:32 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog on the Orlando shooting where we bring you the latest on the mass shooting