ORLANDO, Fla. – A shooting in downtown Orlando early Friday left two dead and seven wounded, with one other person injured in the aftermath, police said.
The University of Central Florida later in the day said two students were among those who were shot, including one who died. Their names and ages have not been released.
Orlando police said gunshots were fired just after 1 a.m. in the area of Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue before more shots were reported near Washington Street and Orange Avenue.
Jaylen Edgar, 17, was arrested in connection with the shooting, but the motive for the act of violence is not yet known.
The names of the victims, ranging in age from 19 to 39, have not been released, but Orlando police later in the morning listed more details about them.
Victim 1: Black Male, 25, Deceased
Victim 2: White Male, 19, Deceased
Victim 3: White Male, 18, Shot in lower left leg
Victim 4: White Female, 39, Shot in left hand
Victim 5: Hispanic Female, 24, Shot in left leg
Victim 6: Black Male, 20, Shot in head (graze)
Victim 7: Hispanic Male, 26, Shot in right foot
Victim 8: Hispanic Female, 19, Shot in upper back, lodged in cheek
Victim 9: Hispanic Female, 26, Injuries from being trampled. She was not shot
Victim 10: Female. Shot, self-transported to a local hospital and in stable condition
No other details about the victims have been released.
On Friday afternoon, 20-year-old Anthony Berry spoke to the media from the hospital. A bullet on the head grazed Berry after the alleged shooter opened fire. Berry explained he ducked just before being shot and quickly realized he was bleeding and put a shirt over his head to apply pressure, a lesson he learned during his training to be an EMT.
Berry’s doctor said the outcome of the shooting could have been different for the 20-year-old with even a centimeter of difference. He told News 6 that this experience only motivates him to continue his career.
“After it happened, the first thing I did was thank God I’m still here. It means I have another opportunity to achieve my goals in life,” he said. “I’m thankful for it, and I do feel bad for the other victims and everybody else that’s been affected by this traumatic event.”
Dr. Joseph Ibrahim, Orlando Health’s Director of General Surgery, treated Berry and many of the other victims who arrived at the hospital. He said he was on call when it happened, a similar experience to the night of the mass shooting at Pulse Night Club in 2016. Ibrahim said there was a moment of Deja Vu after he got the call, but his training quickly kicked in.
“First, I had to wake up a little more, and (thought), ‘Is this really happening again?’ It took like 5 seconds, and then you realize, ‘OK, you’re awake, this is happening.’ Unfortunately, that experience had me knowing what to expect,” he said.
Ibrahim said none of the victims treated needed emergency surgery, but they could require surgery in the future. He also shared that the man who was pronounced dead at the hospital arrived in cardiac arrest with fatal injuries.
The University of Central Florida released a statement confirming two students were involved.
“It is with deep sadness that we share the tragic news that overnight in downtown Orlando, a shooting incident resulted in the injury of several bystanders and the devastating loss of two lives, including a student of our UCF community,” the school said. “Our hearts are heavy with grief as we mourn this tragic, senseless violence, which also resulted in the injury of at least one other student and may have impacted many students who were out celebrating Halloween and in the vicinity of this incident.”
UCF said it was in contact with family members, roommates and friends, extending resources and support.
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“We encourage those impacted by this event, or who may be struggling, to reach out for support,” the school said. “UCF has resources available to students, faculty and staff during challenging times.”
Anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 people could have been downtown at the time of the shooting, judging by views of the huge Halloween crowds, according to police.
Sofia Alcala, who works downtown, said she heard the gunshots before everyone started “freaking out.”
“Everyone started running,” she said. “I saw a group of people, you know, enjoying Halloween ... and then shots fired, and everybody just dispersed. I heard so many girls calling and crying.”
A UCF student who did not want to be identified said she was shielded by one of the victims who had been shot.
“We were coming out of Taco Bell, and pretty much it just happened in one second,” the student said. “I just heard shots, then one of my friends tackled us to the ground, then i felt my leg get warm and I thought, ‘I got shot.’ Then I got up, and my friend was bleeding out right in front of me. It was really scary.”
The student described their friend as “the bravest person I ever met in my life.”
“I’ll never meet anyone braver than that,” the student added.
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain said it was likely Edgar could be charged as an adult pending further investigation.
