Orlando’s bustling Halloween festivities took a tragic turn this year as a deadly mass shooting erupted in the city’s downtown area, killing two and wounding several others.
According to a report from Orlando.com, two individuals were killed and multiple others were injured as a result of a mass shooting incident in the downtown area of the city, where Halloween celebrations were underway. The chaos prompted Mayor Buddy Dyer to declare a state of emergency and announce a strict curfew for the downtown entertainment district, aimed at reining in the violence.
“I’ll be issuing a local state of emergency for establishments within the downtown entertainment area that will end alcohol sales at midnight and implement a curfew from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.,” Dyer stated at a press conference, visibly shaken. “We don’t make this decision lightly, and we have pursued a number of measures before reaching this point following another tragic shooting downtown.” The mayor confirmed the curfew will remain in place until next Friday (November 8) as a response to the recent events.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith detailed the rapid arrest of 17-year-old Jaylen Edgar, who now faces two counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder. Describing the scene, Smith recounted how officers were able to swiftly apprehend Edgar as he attempted to flee. “We used the cameras, of course, to see that, play it back. We had that capability at major intersections,” he explained. “The officers responded very quickly, the officers did a great job. They responded right when they heard the shooting. You know, everybody else is running…They found the shooter. They took him down.”
In the chaos, a total of seven were wounded, with one additional person trampled in the frenzy to escape the gunfire. Another female victim, who drove herself to a hospital, was later reported in stable condition.