PINE HILLS, Fla. – Three people died — including a Spectrum News 13 journalist, 9-year-old child and 38-year-old woman — and a man is in custody after three shootings in Pine Hills Wednesday, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.
Orange County deputies said they arrested 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses in connection with the shootings, which also resulted in the hospitalization of another News 13 employee and the mother of the 9-year-old.
This is 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, the suspect in a series of shootings today that left three dead, in OCSO custody. This is a sad day for our community. Three were murdered today, including a woman in her 20s, a 9-year-old girl and a @MyNews13 employee. pic.twitter.com/DXXkxzRHl5
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) February 23, 2023
According to Mina, deputies said they initially found a woman — identified as 38-year-old Nathacha Augustin — shot to death around 11:20 a.m. in the 6100 block of Hialeah Street.
Later on Wednesday, deputies said Moses returned to the scene of the homicide, where a Spectrum News 13 reporter — later identified as 24-year-old Dylan Lyons — and photographer, Jesse Walden, were covering the story.
Deputies said the suspect approached the news vehicle and shot both men before walking up Harrington Street and entering a house, where he then shot a woman and her 9-year-old girl, identified as T’yonna Major.
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“He was an acquaintance of the woman this morning but as far as we know, had no connection to reporters and no connection to the mother and a 9-year-old,” Mina said.
The sheriff said it is not known at this time why the news crew was targeted or if the suspect was aware they were media members.
“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners. I’ve worked 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 that you do for our community and for law enforcement,” Mina said. “No one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old, certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence in our community.”
Moses has a lengthy criminal history and has previously faced charges of aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft.
He faces a charge in connection with the death of the woman Wednesday morning and deputies expect additional charges for the other shootings.
News 13′s Asher Wildman announced on social media Wednesday evening that the team member in the hospital was responsive and would undergo further treatments.
*Update*
— Spectrum News Asher Wildman (@AsherWildman13) February 23, 2023
Our team member who remains in critical condition here at ORMC is responsive. Will continue to go under further treatments tonight with more surgery ahead.
Worldwide 40 journalists were reported killed last year, plus another two this year before Wednesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Only one of those was in the United States.
Jeff German, who covered politics and corruption for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead outside his home with multiple stab wounds in September.
Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles has been charged with murder in the slaying. In 2015, Virginia reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were shot and killed during their live TV broadcast for CBS affiliate WDBJ7. The suspect, a former reporter for the TV station, died by suicide during the law enforcement search for him.
This is a developing story, check back with News 6 for more details.
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