ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) — Two people were killed and seven others were hurt in a shooting in downtown Orlando on Halloween night.
At 1:07 a.m. police responded to reports of a shooting near East Central Boulevard and North Orange Avenue.
According to Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith, nine people were shot, two of them died. Six victims were taken to Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center and are in stable condition.
The ages of the victims range from 19 to 39, Orlando Police said. Officials released more information about their condition, according to NBC affiliate WESH:
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
Smith stated the suspect, 17-year-old Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, was taken into custody and does have a previous arrest record. Edgar is charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm and six counts of attempted first degree murder with a firearm.
Shortly after, police received another call about a shooting south of Washington Street on North Orange Avenue, according to OPD.
In a news conference Friday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer declared a local state of emergency for establishments within the city’s downtown entertainment district. It will implement a curfew from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and end alcohol sales at midnight.
“We want a downtown that is fun and vibrant, but we’ve experienced lately that brazen criminals are willing to come downtown and shoot and kill innocent victims, right in front of our police officers,” Dyer said. “And it’s unfortunate that the changes in state concealed weapons laws have made it even easier for people to carry guns and bring guns downtown.”
Orlando Police said nearly 100 officers were patrolling downtown that night when the shooting occurred due to the large crowd expected for Halloween.