Two people were killed and at least six others were injured in an overnight shooting in downtown Orlando, the Orlando Police Department said.
Police responded to a call of shots fired near East Central Avenue and North Orange Avenue at 1:07 a.m. Friday. Minutes later, police said they received another call about a shooting on North Orange Avenue south of Washington Street.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said eight people were shot. Two victims died, six were taken to hospital. The victims were between the ages of 19 and 39, the police said. Smith said the suspect in the case is in custody. The suspect is 17 years old and has a prior arrest record, according to police. The road was closed overnight but has since reopened.
The footage shows a large group of people scattering amid chaotic scenes. On the part of the police, there were 50,000-100,000 people in the Halloween area.
Nine people were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, police said. Two of them are in critical condition. ORMC publishes updated terms:
Editor’s Note: A ninth person was likely injured in the chaos, but not necessarily shot. According to its mission statement, Crime Line’s mission is to improve the safety of the Central Florida community by helping law enforcement remove undesirables from the community.
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The shooting was reported around 1:07 a.m. in the area of Orange Avenue and Central Blvd as hundreds of people celebrated Halloween at bars, clubs and restaurants.
Minutes later, a second round of gunfire was reported nearby. Police rushed to both locations, identified the suspected shooter and subdued him. Chief Smith said he is currently being interviewed by detectives. What do we know about the victims? Police Chief Smith said two people were killed. He did not release their names until he notified their families.
Another six people were injured and are being treated in hospital. All six were in stable condition, he said. But the severity of their injuries is unclear. What do we know about the suspect? Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith identified the shooter as a 17-year-old boy. He said the teenager was armed with a gun.
The police did not shoot him. The chief said no officer fired a shot.
A motive for the shooting is also unclear, but Chief Smith said detectives are speaking with a suspect. The chief also mentioned that the suspect was previously arrested for theft in 2023. Details of the case were not immediately released. Smith said the 17-year-old had not been downtown shortly before the shooting and did not appear to have entered any stores.
“He pretty much went downtown, walked the streets and did what he was doing,” Chief Smith said.