Two people were killed and at least six were injured in a mass shooting in downtown Orlando where thousands of people were out celebrating Halloween party were underway. Gunfire erupted outside The Block, a popular nightlife district made up of seven distinct clubs, as hundreds of partygoers, many dressed up for a cash-prize costume contest, were present.
A 17-year-old suspect, identified as Jalen Dwayne Edgar, has since been arrested, police Chief Eric Smith said, after gunfire was reported at two separate locations and he was tackled by officers. Smith said during a press conference that police received calls about gunfire at around 1:07 a.m. near Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue.
Halloween Horror
"He pretty much walked into downtown, walked into the street and did what he did," Smith reportedly said, adding that the did not walk into any clubs.
A second shooting was reported minutes later at Washington Street and Orange Avenue, just one block north.
A disturbing video captures hundreds of people fleeing in terror after gunfire erupted in the city's downtown area. According to Smith, the victims' ages range from 19 to 39, and officials have yet to reveal the identities of the dead and injured as their families are still being notified.
The area had been filled with young people, many dressed in Halloween costumes, celebrating before the tragic events unfolded.
Police said that the suspect, Jalen Dwayne Edgar, had been arrested for grand theft in 2023.
Cops said that they did not see Edgar entering any clubs when he arrived in downtown Orlando and believe he acted alone. He was carrying a handgun.
At the press conference, Smith showed several videos capturing the downtown nightlife at the time of the shooting. In one video, Edgar, while walking with a group, pulled out his gun and fired directly at an unsuspecting victim, causing chaos on the crowded avenue.
Footage from a second shooting shows Edgar once more aiming into a dense crowd near a police cruiser.
Bigger Tragedy Avoided
An officer near the scene spotted the teenage gunman, took him down by knocking his legs out from under him, and restrained him on the ground as additional officers jumped onto the pile. "They're always trained, and they're always ready to act," Smith said. "As soon as they heard the shots fired, none of the officers went the other way, they didn't go with the crowd."
"Most of them got a little cover between them, they started scanning to see what was going on and then they moved, they took action to keep everyone else safe and that's what these officers do and I'm very proud of them," he added.
Smith estimated that the Halloween celebrations drew a crowd of between 50,000 and 100,000 people.
"As you can see from this video, Halloween is one of our busiest nights of the year, always is," Smith said. "Halloween night itself is busy and the Saturday after Halloween is always just as busy."
Police have not yet revealed a motive behind the shooting. Authorities believe Edgar was determined to carry out a mass shooting, as he moved through the crowds and passed several officers.
"Whatever his mindset was, he was gonna shoot no matter what," Smith revealed. "He walked by multiple officers, we followed where he came. He knew what he was gonna do, what he thought his mind was going to do."
"It's unfortunate some people see somebody they don't like or somebody they have some sort of beef with and they take whatever action they're going to take," he added.
