Halloween in Orlando, Florida takes a devastating turn of events when a mass shooting occurs late into the night. Police received reports of gunfire at around 1AM according to Police Chief Eric Smith. The shots take place outside The Block, where seven different clubs occupy the area hosting various festivities that night. Hundreds were in attendance that night.
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Afterwards, the suspect goes a block north of his original location to fire off more shots into the late night crowd. By the time the second shooting takes place, police finally wrangle in the suspect. The shooter is 17-year-old Jalen Dwayne Edgar. His previous run-in with the law involves Grand Theft in 2023.
Two people pass away as a result of these Halloween shootings in Orlando. Six others also get caught in the crossfire, though they're in stable condition following their injuries.
Police Investigate The Tragic Orlando Mass Shooting on Halloween
Police Chief Eric Smith holds a press conference to address the late Halloween shooting. There, he shows footage of how the officers on the scene deal with the situation. Moreover, he expresses his pride in how swiftly they resolved the situation. "They're always trained, and they're always ready to act," Smith explains. "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."
Currently, the police are trying to figure out what Jalen Dwayne Edgar's motive for the Halloween mass shooting. Regardless, he'll likely be charged as an adult for his actions. "Whatever his mindset was, he was gonna shoot no matter what," Smith says. "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."
