At least two people were killed and six others were injured after a 17-year-old opened fire in downtown Orlando during Halloween celebrations early Friday, according to local police.
The suspect was previously arrested for grand theft last year in an incident that is still under ... [+]
At around 1:07 a.m. EDT, police responded to reports of shots fired at Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue in Orlando, and “within minutes,” more shots were witnessed by officers south of Washington Street on Orange Avenue, the Orlando Police Department said Friday.
The victims ranged in age from 19 to 39, while the six wounded were hospitalized and in stable condition, police Chief Eric Smith said.
A 17-year-old was arrested shortly after the initial shots were reported, according to police, and the suspect was previously arrested for grand theft last year in an incident that is still under investigation.
Law enforcement is considering whether to charge the suspect as an adult, CNN reported.
Nearly 100 officers were patrolling downtown Orlando at the time of the shooting because of expected crowds for Halloween, and the Orlando Police Department is evaluating whether more patrols are required for this weekend.
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The suspect’s motive is not immediately clear, according to police, who noted the 17-year-old had appeared to be deliberate in his movements. Smith said the suspect “walked by multiple officers” and appeared as if he “didn’t really care.”
Steps to prevent Halloween shootings were not in place this year, including police checkpoints and gun-sniffing dogs, as a Florida law allows most people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, Smith said. There have been 439 mass shootings across the U.S. this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, including 24 mass gun murders, defined as a mass shooting with four or more fatalities. The last mass murder took place in Fall City County, Washington, on Oct. 21, when five people were killed.