Jaylen Edgar to be tried as adult in 2024 Orlando Halloween mass shooting
Teen to be tried as adult in Orlando Halloween mass shooting
A teenager charged in a deadly mass shooting in Orlando will be tried as an adult, with his murder trial set to begin Jan. 12. Jaylen Edgar is accused of shooting nine people and killing two men, prosecutors said. He faces two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder. If convicted, Edgar could be sentenced to life in prison.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A teenager charged in a deadly mass shooting in Orlando will be tried as an adult.
Jaylen Edgar's trial is set to begin Jan. 12, and if convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
What we know:
Edgar, 17, is accused of opening fire during Halloween celebrations in downtown Orlando last year, killing two people and injuring several others. He is being charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
Jaylen Edgar
Edgar remains held without bond at the Orange County Jail, where his trial is scheduled to begin in January.
What we don't know:
Seventeen-year-old Jaylen Edgar is accused of opening fire during Halloween celebrations in downtown Orlando last year, killing two people and injuring several others. He is being charged as an adult with two counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
Edgar remains held without bond at the Orange County Jail, where his trial is scheduled to begin in January.
The backstory:
The shooting sent thousands of Halloween revelers scrambling through downtown Orlando, with chaos leaving a 26-year-old woman trampled in the crowd.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
Police body camera footage captured the moment officers tackled Edgar to the ground and placed him in handcuffs.
What they're saying:
From jailhouse phone calls, Edgar described his incarceration as "a minor setback," adding, "Every day I wake up and every night before I go to sleep, I pray to God. I give everything to God. Just keep good spirits you feel me? Ain’t no point in being sad."
In another call, a friend told Edgar that attorneys were hesitant to take on his case.
"They scared to take the case. They like, ‘Hell, nah. They don’t want nothing to do with it.’"
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orlando Police Department, court documents and recordings from the Orange County Jail.