Gunman opens fire at news crew in Orlando killing reporter and 9-year-old

A gunman opened fire at a news crew that was covering a homicide in Orlando on Wednesday afternoon, killing two and injuring two others, according to local police.

Officers responded to a shooting at 11 a.m. in Pine Hills, a neighborhood in Orlando. When police arrived, they found a woman in her 20s that had been fatally shot. 

Later in the afternoon, a news crew was covering the homicide when the shooter returned to the scene and began shooting at the Spectrum News 13 car, injuring a news reporter and a photographer, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

The suspect then ran into a nearby house, where he shot a mother and her 9-year-old daughter. 

Both the reporter and the 9-year-old died from the gunshot wounds. The mother and the TV crew member are in critical condition at a local hospital.

The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, was arrested, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He is being charged with murder for the first killing and is awaiting charges for the additional shootings. 

Mina added that Moses has a “lengthy criminal history” ranging from gun charges, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and burglary, among others. 

Moses was acquainted with the initial victim. However, he has no clear connections to the mother and her daughter or the news crew. It remains unclear why he opened fire at them. 

"It's unclear why exactly they were targeted. And, you know, certainly, we're going to look into that," Mina said.

“No one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old, and certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence in our community,” he added.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and the other lives senselessly taken today. Our thoughts are with our employee’s family, friends, and co-workers during this very difficult time. We remain hopeful that our other colleague who was injured makes a full recovery," said a spokesperson for Spectrum News. "This is a tragedy for the Orlando community."