TV journalist Dylan Lyons shot dead while reporting at murder scene in Florida
A TV journalist has been killed while reporting from the scene of a murder during a shooting spree in Florida that left a total of three people dead and two injured.
The reporter, named as 24-year-old Dylan Lyons, was covering the fatal shooting of Nathacha Augustin, 38, in Pine Hills, west of Orlando, at the time of the attack.
Mr Lyons was identified on Thursday by the channel Spectrum News 13, which also confirmed photographer Jesse Walden was injured while reporting at the scene.
Mr Lyons loved reporting on the news and telling people’s stories, a colleague said
It is believed the gunman first killed Ms Augustin, and then returned to the scene hours later where he shot Mr Lyons and his colleague.
The attacker then went to a nearby home where he fatally shot nine-year-old T’yonna Major and critically wounded her mother.
Police have detained a suspect, Keith Melvin Moses, 19, who they believe is responsible for all three shootings.
Moses has been formally charged with the murder of Ms Augustin, with whom he was acquainted.
Additional charges are set to follow relating to the other four victims, who were not known to him.
According to officials, the teenager has a lengthy criminal history – including charges related to firearms, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and theft.
A photo released by Orange County Sheriff’s Office showed Moses as he was taken into custody.
The suspect, Keith Melvin Moses, was pictured as he was taken into custody
‘Horrible day’
At a news conference, Sheriff John Mina said it had been a “horrible day”.
He added: “No one in our community – not a mother, not a nine-year-old and certainly not news professionals – should become the victim of gun violence in our community.”
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Special report: Gun violence in America
Mr Mina said the motive behind the shootings is currently unclear.
Mr Lyons and Mr Walden were in an unmarked news vehicle on Wednesday when they were approached by the gunman.
Mr Mina said it is unknown whether the suspect knew they were journalists.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre posted on Twitter: “Our hearts go out to the family of the journalist killed today and the crew member injured in Orange County, Florida, as well as the whole Spectrum News team.”
Spectrum 13 journalist Celeste Springer asked viewers to “please, please say a prayer” for Mr Walden during her live on-air report on Wednesday night.
“And while you’re at it, please say a prayer for every victim of gun violence in this country,” she added.
Police at the scene of one of the shootings
‘He was taken too early from us’
Spectrum Sports 360 reporter Josh Miller, a friend of Mr Lyons, told how he took his job “very seriously” and “loved is career”.
“He loved the community, telling the stories of people, reporting on the news, and he was just passionate about what he did.”
Mr Lyons’ older sister, Rachel, has now set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his funeral.
The Philadelphia-born journalist was an “acting father” to his niece and nephew, who he “loved so much,” she wrote.
“He loved his fiancee and was a devoted son to his mother and father. Dylan would have been 25 years old in March.
“He was a happy soul and wonderful person in life. My brother was our baby. He was taken too early from us.”
US
Boy, 8, and girl, 10, killed in US Catholic school shooting named – as father brands attacker ‘a coward’
The families of two children killed in the US Catholic school shooting have said their “hearts are broken” and branded the attacker a “coward”.
Fletcher Merkel who was eight and 10-year-old Harper Moyski were killed during mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
Eighteen other people were injured, including children aged between six and 15 and three adults in their 80s.
Police said Robin Westman, a male born as Robert Westman, opened fire with a rifle through the windows of the school’s church as children sat in pews.
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New details released of US school shooting
‘Our hearts are broken’
Harper’s parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, remembered her as “a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her”.
“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain,” their statement said.
They urged leaders and communities to “take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country.”
“Change is possible, and it is necessary – so that Harper’s story does not become yet another in a long line of tragedies,” the statement added.
The family of Fletcher Merkel said there was a ‘hole in our hearts’. Pic: Family handout/AP
‘Fletcher loved his family’
In a statement reported by Sky’s US partner network NBC News, Fletcher’s father Jesse Merkel blamed the “coward” killer for why the boy’s family can’t “hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming”.
He said: “Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and any sports that he was allowed to play.
“While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time, our family can find healing.”
Mr Merkel also praised “the swift and heroic actions of children and adults alike from inside the church”.
“Without these people and their selfless actions, this could have been a tragedy of many magnitudes more. For these people, I am thankful,” he added.
Families and loved ones reunite at the scene after the shooting. Pic: Reuters
Mayor calls for assault weapon ban
It comes after Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey called for a statewide and federal ban on assault weapons, a day after the deadly school shooting.
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Minneapolis mayor urges assault weapons ban
“Thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it. It’s on all of us to see this through,” the mayor said at a news conference. “We need a statewide and a federal ban on assault weapons.
“We need a statewide and a federal ban on high-capacity magazines. There is no reason that someone should be able to reel off 30 shots before they even have to reload.
“We’re not talking about your father’s hunting rifle gear. We’re talking about guns that are built to pierce armour and kill people.”
Meanwhile, Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara gave an update on the investigation, saying the suspect had fired 116 rifle rounds into the church.
“It is very clear that this shooter had the intention to terrorise those innocent children,” he added, before saying the killer “fantasised” about the plans of other mass shooting attackers and wanted to “obtain notoriety”.
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Thomas Klemond, interim CEO of Minneapolis’s main trauma hospital Hennepin Healthcare, said at an earlier news conference that the hospital was treating nine patients injured in the shooting.
One child at the hospital was in a critical condition, he added.
Children’s Minnesota Hospital also said that three children remain in its care as of Thursday morning.
Police have released new details about the killer in the US Catholic school shooting – including that they “idolised” mass murderers and they wanted to “watch children suffer”.
Two children, aged eight and 10, were killed during mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
The victims have been named as Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, – click here to read more
Eighteen other people were injured, including children aged between six and 15 and three adults in their 80s.
Police said Robin Westman, a male born as Robert Westman, opened fire with a rifle through the windows of the school’s church as children sat in pews.
Robin Westman
Almost 120 rifle rounds fired, police chief says
In a news conference on Thursday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the attacker fired 116 rifle rounds into the church.
“It is very clear that this shooter had the intention to terrorise those innocent children,” he added.
The police chief said the killer “fantasised” about the plans of other mass shooting attackers and wanted to “obtain notoriety”.
When asked about the attacker obtaining the firearms used legally, Mr O’Hara said that they did not have a criminal history or any diagnosed mental health disorders.
While they had potentially concerning social media posts, the police chief added that there was no evidence to suggest that Westman was legally barred from purchasing a firearm.
People mourn outside the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Pic: Reuters
Suspect ‘wanted to watch children suffer’
Joe Thompson, acting US attorney for Minnesota, also said evidence recovered of the killer’s plans showed “pure indiscriminate hate” and that they “idolised some of the most notorious school shooters and mass murderers in our country’s history”.
“I won’t dignify the shooter’s words by repeating them,” Mr Thompson added. “They are horrific and vile, but in short, the shooter wanted to watch children suffer.”
Earlier, the mayor of Minneapolis called for a statewide and federal ban on assault weapons after the deadly attack, saying “thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it”.
“There is no reason that someone should be able to reel off 30 shots before they even have to reload,” Jacob Frey said.
“We’re not talking about your father’s hunting rifle gear. We’re talking about guns that are built to pierce armour and kill people.”
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Minneapolis mayor urges assault weapons ban
Thomas Klemond, interim CEO of Minneapolis’s main trauma hospital Hennepin Healthcare, said at a news conference that the hospital was treating nine patients injured in the shooting.
One child at the hospital was in a critical condition, he added.
Children’s Minnesota Hospital also said that three children remain in its care as of Thursday morning.
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In a post on Facebook, the hospital said “there are no words to describe the overwhelming pain many are feeling”, adding: “We feel that pain with you.
“To the entire Annunciation community, you have our deepest condolences. During this time of unimaginable grief and loss, we want you to know that we at Children’s Minnesota are with you.
“We will always be here to care for you. And in this moment, we hurt alongside you.”
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