The Florida TV news reporter who was shot and killed while reporting at a murder scene on Wednesday in Orlando has been identified.
Spectrum News 13 announced on Thursday that reporter Dylan Lyons was the victim shot on Wednesday afternoon while at the scene of a shooting in Pine Hills, Florida.
Lyons died from his injuries.
Jesse Walden, a photographer for News 13, was also shot and critically injured, according to the outlet.
Orange County deputies said the 19-year-old suspect, Keith Melvin Moses, also shot a mother and her 9-year-old daughter, T’yonna Major, in their home as well as 38-year-old Nathacha Augustin.
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The little girl and Augustin died from their injuries. The young girl’s mother is in critical condition at the hospital.
Moses has been detained and a motive for the shootings is not known.
“So we have detained the person believed to be responsible for the murder this morning as well as the shootings this afternoon,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Wednesday evening. “He is 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses. He is being formally charged in the murder from this morning, and we expect additional charges for the shootings of the four people this afternoon.”
In response to the shooting, Spectrum News released the following statement Wednesday night:
“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.
Following news of the shooting on Wednesday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd released the following statement to offer condolences to the family members and loved ones of those involved.
“We are stunned and heartbroken hearing the news out of Orange County that three people were fatally shot, and two others are fighting for their lives, at the hands of a violent criminal who was on a murderous rampage today. A 9-year-old child and a Spectrum 13 journalist lost their lives during these senseless and brutal acts, along with another victim who was killed this morning. Our prayers are with all of the families affected by this horrific event.
We would like the news media who report in Polk County to know that if you ever find yourselves in a situation or an area where you feel unsafe, to please call us and we will send deputies out to your location to protect you. We appreciate the jobs that you all do, and we will always be here to ensure you are safe while doing them.”
Remembering Dylan Lyons
Dylan Lyons joined Spectrum News in 2022 as a multimedia journalist, according to his biography on the station website. Born in Philadelphia, he attended the University of Central Florida, where he earned a degree in journalism and political science and anchored the student-run news station.
He worked for a local news station in Gainesville and in 2020 won a best politics/elections series award from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists, for his coverage of a congressional race. In 2021, he was a finalist for investigative reporting for a story about a woman abusing dogs.
“One of the most impactful stories Dylan had the opportunity to cover was about the murder of a 13-year-old girl,” his biography says. “The story was especially moving for Dylan because it illustrated the importance of ensuring proper protections for the most vulnerable in our society.”
Lyons’ family posted a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral. As of Thursday morning, it had raised a little over $5,500.
“He was an acting father to his niece and nephew who he loved so much,” the page said. “He loved his fiancé and 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.”
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, offered condolences 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,” she wrote. “Our hearts are also with the other shooting victims today, their families, and the entire community. Too many lives are being ripped apart by gun violence.”
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