Orlando shootings: 17-year-old arrested after 2 killed, 6 injured as crowds gather for Halloween, police say

CNN
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Two people were killed and six others wounded after a teenage gunman opened fire at two locations in downtown Orlando where large crowds had gathered to celebrate Halloween, the city’s police chief said early Friday.

A 17-year-old suspect was arrested, Police Chief Eric Smith said at a news conference.

The shooting victims ranged in age from 19 to 39, according to police. Two of the six surviving victims are hospitalized in critical but stable condition, Orlando Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Marlei Martinez told CNN Friday morning.

The attack was another example of gunfire disrupting ordinary American life, from parade routes to campus homecomings to a night out.

This is the 27th mass shooting in Florida this year, according to the Gun Violence Archivewith more than 400 nationwide. CNN defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people were shot, excluding the shooter.

About 100 officers worked a detail in the area, which allowed for a quick response but did not appear to deter the shooter, Smith said.

“No matter what his mindset was, he was going to shoot no matter what,” Smith said. “He walked past several officers. He really didn’t care.”

Police are investigating whether the victims were random or known to the suspect. Video captures the moment police say the suspect passes a victim and then turns and shoots.

“Did he know him? Did he happen to run into someone who is one of his enemies for some reason? That’s all part of the story,” Smith said.

Large crowds gathered for Halloween festivities dispersed as the shots were fired, surveillance videos from the scene show.

“Halloween is one of our busiest nights of the year,” Smith said, adding that anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 people can gather for the celebration.

The suspect opened fire at the first location before running away with the crowd, Smith said, citing footage of the first shooting.

At another location, police removed the suspect moments after he opened fire, the video showed.

Measures used in previous years screening people for guns during the downtown Halloween celebration — including checkpoints and gun-sniffing dogs — wasn’t possible this year because a 2023 state law allows most people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, Smith said.

“When the law was changed, you can basically drive on a public street as long as you meet certain criteria,” he said.

Authorities are considering whether to charge the suspect as an adult, State’s Attorney Andrew Bain said.

“Obviously from the multiple victims and the brazen nature of the crime, there are several aggravating factors that would fit into the matrix to charge him as an adult,” Bain said.

The suspect was being questioned Friday morning as police search for a motive, Smith said.

“This person right here threw his life away. For what?” Smith said.

The suspect was previously arrested on a grand theft charge in 2023, Smith said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Tina Burnside and Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report.