Authorities on Thursday identified the three victims "senselessly murdered" in an Orlando, Florida, shooting spree, including the nine-year-old fatally wounded inside her own home.
T'yonna Major, 9, was shot in her home, alongside her mother, Wednesday afternoon. The girl later died at the hospital, where her mother remains hospitalized in critical condition.
It’s not clear what the total five victims’ connections were to 19-year-old suspected gunman Keith Melvin Moses.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons, 24, and Nathacha Augustin, 38, were also killed.
In a voice message to parents Thursday morning, Pine Hills Elementary School Principal LaTonya Smothers announced that nine-year-old Major had been "one of the victims of yesterday’s senseless violence in our neighborhood."
"I know I speak for our entire Pine Hills community when I express the grief we feel at the loss of one of our own. She was kind and beautiful young girl with an infectious smile. She will be missed dearly," Smothers said. "Her mother is currently in critical condition, and we are hopeful she makes a full recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, as they go through this extremely difficult time."
"We will have grief counselors on campus for any student or staff member who needs to speak with someone about this loss," the principal added. "A wide range of emotions can be felt during this grief process, and we encourage you to openly discuss your child’s reaction to this news. Please keep our students and staff in your thoughts at this difficult time. Thank you for your support."
Lyons’ photographer, Jesse Walden, was shot and survived. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Wednesday that Moses "has a lengthy criminal history to include gun charges, aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft charges." Investigators are still working to determine a motive.
"I lost one of my best friends, Dylan yesterday," Walden wrote on Facebook Thursday. "I was shot and now I’ve had surgery and I am OK thank you all so much for your well wishes. I haven’t had my phone till now, so I’m sorry I haven’t been able to respond to most of you. I’m very lucky to be alive."
The two journalists were shot around 4 p.m. Wednesday while prepping for a live report at the scene of an earlier homicide where a woman was found shot to death in her vehicle around 11 a.m. that morning. After allegedly shooting the reporter and photographer near their own news vehicle, Moses allegedly took off around the corner and entered Major's and her mother’s home, shooting them both. Mina said that it was unclear why Moses had entered the home, and it did not appear that he knew the girl or her mom.
The female homicide victim from that morning was believed to be Moses’ "acquaintance," Mina said.
"Words cannot express the disbelief and anger I feel about the senseless violence yesterday that led to three deaths, including one of our precious students," Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez said in a statement obtained by FOX 35 Orlando. "My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to their families and friends. These tragedies have become all too common, and it needs to stop. We must work together as a community to end these horrible tragedies."
