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ORLANDO, Fla. - A jury found Jaylen Edgar guilty in the deadly 2024 Halloween night shooting in downtown Orlando that killed two people and wounded seven others.
The verdict came after jurors heard closing arguments Monday centered largely on whether prosecutors proved Edgar acted with premeditation when he opened fire in a crowded downtown area.
Edgar was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings that killed Tyrek Hill and Timothy Schmidt Jr. Edgar was found guilty on all nine counts.
The defense did little to dispute that Edgar fired the shots. Instead, defense attorney Junior Barrett argued prosecutors failed to prove the shootings were premeditated, urging jurors to rely on "evidence, not gut feeling."
Prosecutors argued Edgar intended to kill
What they're saying:
Assistant State Attorney Frank George argued Edgar went downtown armed with a gun and intended to kill as many people as possible. Prosecutors said Edgar fired nine shots and struck nine people.
"He hit what he aimed at. He doesn’t have to know who these people are. He doesn’t have to know their names. He just has to want to do it," George told jurors.
Prosecutors also focused on a gap between the first shooting and the eight shots that followed. They argued Edgar had an opportunity after fatally shooting Hill to disappear into the crowd, discard the gun or run away.
Instead, prosecutors said, Edgar fired eight more rounds, killing Schmidt and wounding seven others.
"If this is not first-degree murder, what is?" George asked.
Defense disputed premeditation
The other side:
Barrett argued there was no evidence Edgar had argued with the victims or had any confrontation with them before the shootings.
The defense also challenged prosecutors' assertion that Edgar was trying to kill as many people as possible. Barrett noted there was no evidence Edgar emptied his magazine or attempted to reload and pointed to video showing Edgar firing behind him as he ran away.
Barrett also argued that if Edgar had planned a mass shooting at a crowded Halloween celebration, he could have worn a costume or otherwise concealed his identity.
"It would make sense that you would cover your face, that you would wear something where you could blend in with the crowd," Barrett said.
Jurors ultimately sided with prosecutors and found Edgar guilty.
What's next:
Edgar faces life in prison. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orlando Police Department, proceedings in the Ninth Circuit Court on Aug. 24, 2026, and previous reporting by FOX 35 News.