Keith Melvin Moses (left), 19, shot and killed Nathacha Augustin, 38, T’yonna Major, 9, and Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons (right), 24, according to deputies. (Image of Moses: Orange County Sheriff’s Office; screenshot of Lyons via Spectrum News 13)
Three people, including a 9-year-old girl, are dead and two people are in critical condition after a 19-year-old suspect went on a shooting spree, say sheriff’s deputies in Orange County, Florida.
For now, Keith Melvin Moses is only charged with a count of first-degree murder for allegedly killing Nathacha Augustin, 38, on Wednesday morning but authorities say more charges will be filed. Moses is accused of returning to the scene, and shooting two employees for Central Florida outlet Spectrum News 13. Reporter Dylan Lyons, 24, was killed. Photographer Jesse Walden survived but in critical condition.
According to Orange County Sheriff John Mina, Moses then went to a nearby home and shot both a mother and daughter. The mother survived in critical condition, but T’yonna Major, 9, died.
“No one in our community, not a 9 year old child or a media professional should become the victim of gun violence,” Mina said.
According to an affidavit in Augustin’s death, she was riding around with a man on Wednesday morning. (Her name is absent from the oft-redacted document, but details became clearer in context of the sheriff’s office posts and Mina’s press conference.) This man told investigators he and Augustin found Moses walking north on Hastings Street. Moses “seemed down,” and they offered him a ride. Moses got in the back, behind Augustin, this man said. According to documents, the driver did not hear Moses and Augustin argue, and they did not know one another. But after 30 seconds, the driver heard a “bang” and saw blood on the woman’s face. He pulled over at 6114 Hialeah Street.
“The witness stated he did not have any problems with anyone, and to his knowledge [redacted] did not have any problems with anyone,” authorities said. “The witness stated they were not being followed.”
Investigators said they arrived at the scene at about 11:17 a.m. to find the white Hyundai at 6114 Hialeah Street with the driver, passenger, and rear driver doors open. They said they discovered Augustin on her stomach outside of the passenger side. She had been shot on the left side of her chin, they said. A detective claimed to find one spent shell casing in the vehicle. The driver cooperated in the investigation, giving buccal swabs, hand swabs for gunshot residue, and even his clothing which carried Augustin’s blood. He identified Moses as the suspect, saying the suspect left the scene running.
But Mina told reporters that investigators received 911 calls at 4:05 p.m. about another shooting at that location. They found Lyons and Walden shot “in or near a vehicle.” It is unclear why the men were shot, he said. The sheriff claimed that Moses headed toward nearby Harrington Street, took a left, walked into a house and shot both 9-year-old T’yonna Major and the child’s mother. The motive for this shooting is also unclear. Authorities soon detained Moses nearby, and he was found armed with a handgun, the sheriff said.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, records show.
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