On Monday, the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit announced the suspect arrested in a mass shooting in downtown Orlando has been charged as an adult.
In the early morning hours of Friday, November 1, nine people were shot while out enjoying Halloween celebrations in downtown Orlando. Two men died, seven others were wounded by gunfire and one woman was trampled and injured by crowds fleeing the scene.
Orlando Police Department officers at the scene quickly identified Jaylen Dewayne Edgar, 17, as the shooter and took him into custody moments after the shooting. Edgar has been formally charged as an adult and is currently facing two counts of Second Degree Murder with a Firearm and one count of Attempted Murder with a Firearm which were filed Monday morning. Additional charges will be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
According to the Orlando Police Department, the decision to charge the defendant as an adult is based on “several aggravating factors including the brazen nature of the crime and the multiple victims who were shot in the middle of downtown while out celebrating Halloween.”
“This decision was not made lightly and only after a review of all available evidence,” said State Attorney Andrew Bain. “I have personally reviewed all available records and video evidence in this case and there is no question this individual should be charged as an adult. Orlando Police estimate there were 75,000 people downtown on the night of the shooting. To shoot into a massive crowd like that shows a total disregard for life and the only recourse is to charge the defendant as an adult because it fits the egregious nature of the crime.”
