Orlando gunman kills 3, including reporter and child: Victims identified

ORLANDO, Fla. — Three people died Wednesday, including a television news reporter and a 9-year-old girl, in a series of shootings reported in a neighborhood near Orlando, authorities said.

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According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the shootings happened in the Pine Hills community, WFTV reported. Deputies identified the suspected shooter as Keith Melvin Moses, 19.

The victims were identified as T’yonna Major, 9; Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons, 24; and Nathacha Augustin, 38.

‘She will be missed dearly’: School principal remembers slain girl

Update 6:20 p.m. EST Feb. 23: T’yonna Major, who attended Pine Hills Elementary School, was remembered by the school’s principal as “a kind and beautiful young girl with an infectious smile.”

“She will be missed dearly,” Latonya Smothers said in her message to families whose children attend the school, WFTV reported.

Grief counselors will be at Pine Hills Elementary School, according to the television station.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Crowdfunding campaign launched for family of slain 9-year-old

Update 4 p.m. EST Feb. 23: The family of T’yonna Major, the 9-year-old girl killed in Wednesday’s shootings, started a GoFundMe campaign on Thursday to raise money for funeral and other costs, WFTV reported.

On the crowdfunding page, Tokiyo Major identified himself as T’yonna’s father and said she “was a light to everyone that knew her.”

“She was everything to us,” he wrote. “She was a great student at top of her 3rd grade class and reading at a 5th grade level. She was outgoing as well as an amazing gymnast.”

Authorities said Thursday that it remained unclear why the gunman, identified as Moses, went into T’yonna’s home and shot her and her mother. Officials continue to investigate.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Moses arrested with still-hot gun, sheriff says

Update 12:45 p.m. EST Feb. 23: When authorities apprehended Moses on Wednesday, they found him with a gun that was still “hot to the touch,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said.

“It had just been fired and there were no more rounds in the weapon,” the sheriff said at a news conference. He added that Moses was uncooperative and fought with deputies.

Several witnesses identified Moses as the person who shot five people earlier in the day, killing three of them. Around 11 a.m., Moses shot and killed 38-year-old Nathacha Augustin, Mina said. Hours later, he allegedly shot two Spectrum News 13 employees, killing 24-year-old reporter Dylan Lyons and injuring videographer Jesse Walden. He next went into a home for “unknown reasons” and shot a woman, who has not been identified, and her 9-year-old daughter, T’yonna Major, who died of her injuries, authorities said.

Mina said that video showed Moses “at the scene at the time of the shootings.” He has been charged with first-degree murder in Augustin’s death.

“I am 100% confident that we will charge him with homicide in the killing of Dylan Lyons and also of the 9-year-old girl, T’yonna Major, and numerous other charges,” Mina said. “We’re not looking for anyone else. He’s our guy. He’s the suspect.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Moses shot woman in car after man offered him ride, affidavit says

Update 11:55 a.m. EST Feb. 23: In an arrest affidavit obtained by WFTV, officials said a man told deputies that he offered Moses a ride around 11 a.m. Wednesday after seeing him walking on a street. He said that about 30 seconds after Moses got in the back seat of the car, he shot the driver’s front-seat passenger, identified as Augustin.

The man told deputies that he didn’t think Augustin and Moses knew one another. He said he pulled over and Moses ran from the scene.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Crowdfunding campaign launched to help pay for reporter’s funeral

Update 10:25 a.m. EST Feb. 23: Family members have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for Dylan Lyons’ funeral, WFTV reported.

Family members said in the campaign that Lyons was engaged to be married. He would have turned 25 in March.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Names of 3 killed in shootings released by deputies

Update 9:30 a.m. EST Feb. 23: Authorities confirmed the identities Thursday of the three people killed in a series of shootings in the Pine Hill community.

T’yonna Major, 9, died after being shot in her home along with her mother, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Her mother, who was not identified, survived the shooting.

Authorities also identified another woman killed Wednesday as 38-year-old Nathacha Augustin.

On Wednesday, deputies identified 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses as the suspect in the killings.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

TV reporter killed in shooting identified

Update 7:05 a.m. EST Feb. 23: The reporter who was killed on Wednesday has been identified. Spectrum News 13 said Dylan Lyons was the journalist who was shot and killed, WFTV reported.

The photojournalist shot was also identified. Jesse Walden was critically injured and was being treated at an area hospital.

— Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Slain reporter remembered as ‘energetic, enthusiastic’

Update 11:44 p.m. EST Feb. 22: The television reporter who died in Wednesday’s shooting attended the University of Central Florida, WFTV reported.

The television station is not releasing the reporter’s name but said he was president of the university’s Radio TV and Digital News Association. He interned at several television stations in Central Florida before he was hired at Spectrum News 13.

Rick Brunson, one of the reporter’s college professors at UCF, called him “energetic, enthusiastic” and a person who loved journalism.

“He loves journalism, and he loves it because of the difference that he always feels like he can make in whatever community he’s in by being on the street with a microphone and a photographer, and telling the stories of the community he’s in,” Brunson, who visited the hospital to comfort the reporter’s family, told WFTV. “That’s what he’s about, and that’s why I’m here.”

Original report: Deputies said Keith Melvin Moses, 19, was detained and formally charged with murder in the earlier shooting. During a news conference on Wednesday, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said more charges are forthcoming, adding that Moses had a “lengthy criminal record” and that he was responsible for both shootings.

Mina said that Moses’ record included gun charges, aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft.

The television news crew, a reporter and photographer from Spectrum News 13 in Orlando, was reporting from the scene of the 11 a.m. incident at 4:05 p.m., Mina told reporters. Mina said that Moses walked up to the news organization’s vehicle, which was not clearly marked, and fired, wounding the reporter and photographer, WFTV reported.

Mina said that Moses then walked down the street into a house and shot the 9-year-old girl and her mother.

The names of the victims have not been released by authorities. Mina added it was unclear what the motive was for the shootings.

“So, I am going to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mina told reporters. “I work closely with all of you and know many of you and know the very difficult job that you do. And also the very important job you do for our community and for law enforcement.”

Both shootings were reported at Hialeah Street near Balboa Drive and North Hastings Street, WFTV reported.

Authorities responded to the area at about 4 p.m. EST, the sheriff’s office said. The call came five hours after an incident in the same neighborhood where a woman was shot to death, WFTV reported.

Deputies said the first victim, who was in her 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the television station. Mina said that Moses was “an acquaintance” of the woman.

Her identity has not been released.