Orlando shooting: Police ID 2 men killed in downtown during Halloween celebrations
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando police released the names of the two men – aged 19 and 25 – who were shot and killed Friday morning in downtown Orlando during Halloween celebrations.
Police identified the two men as 25-year-old Tyrek Hill and 19-year-old Timothy Schmidt Jr., a freshman at the University of Central Florida.
UCF previously confirmed that one of its students was killed in the Nov. 1 shooting, and that a second student, not yet identified, was hurt.
Ten people in total were hurt in the school: 2 people died, 7 were shot, and 1 was trampled as thousands ran away when shots rang out, police said.
FOX 35 reached out to family members and friends of both Hill and Schmidt Jr. on Saturday. All were not ready to talk to reporters.
According to a GoFundMe created by a fraternity brother, Schmidt Jr. was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi Nu Delta Chapter of Central Florida, though it was not clear if it was a UCF-recognized group.
"He was an extraordinary person, loving son, caring friend, talented soccer player, astounding teammate, kind soul, hardworking student and individual with an extremely warm heart and a witty sense of humor," the GoFundMe read. It has raised more than $40,000 as of Saturday afternoon.
Police arrested 17-year-old Jaylen Dwayne Edgar in connection to the shooting. He is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. He is currently in juvenile detention due to his age, however, officials said it is possible that he could be charged as an adult.
He waived his right to appear in court Saturday morning, though his mom appeared in court alongside a public defender. The judge said Edgar would stay in juvenile custody until his next court appearance.
What happened?
The shooting started at 1:07 a.m. on Friday near Orange Avenue and Central Blvd., sending people running and yelling throughout downtown Orlando.
Minutes later, the alleged suspect opened fire near Orange Avenue and Washington Street, feet from a group of Orlando Police Officers and people milling around downtown.
Surveillance video and bodycamera video show the moment the alleged suspect fires his gun, and the moment he is tackled by authorities.
The shooting marks the second mass shooting in downtown Orlando since 2022.