In a shocking turn of events, a 17-year-old boy, Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, who stands accused of a deadly shooting spree on Halloween, failed to appear in court.
Instead, his mother took his place, making an emotional appearance on his behalf.
Edgar is alleged to have killed two men and injured eight others in a horrifying incident in downtown Orlando. The reasons for his absence from the court proceedings remain unknown.
As reported by Fox 35 Orlando, the court session was marked by a poignant moment when the judge asked Edgar's mother to speak into the microphone, advising her to "just take a moment, collect yourself." The teenager, who is expected to be charged as an adult due to the severity of his alleged crimes, will remain in juvenile custody, according to the judge. Edgar faces two counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Among the victims of the tragic shooting was Timothy Schmidt Jr., a 19-year-old soccer star and freshman at the University of Central Florida. Schmidt was enjoying a night out with friends at 'The Block,' a popular entertainment district in downtown Orlando, when the gunfire erupted. Schmidt and another man, 25-year-old Tyrek Hill, were later pronounced dead at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
In an interview with The New York Post, Timothy's father, Timothy Schmidt Sr., expressed his profound grief over the loss of his "one of a kind" son. "One month before I dropped him off for his summer session at UCF he was the best man in my wedding and gave the best speech ever," Schmidt Sr. recalled. "He brought everyone to tears. He was my mini me and my best friend. We had such a special bond."
The aftermath of the shooting was a scene of chaos, with people in Halloween costumes standing in shock as emergency personnel attended to casualties. Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith confirmed in a press conference that the alleged gunman, Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, had been identified and taken into custody.
Schmidt Sr. mournfully remembered his son's final moments, stating, "He was just out with his friends having fun." Amid the pandemonium, a 26-year-old woman was reportedly hospitalized after being trampled. Edgar is alleged to have fled the scene, only to reappear a block away, where he is believed to have fired his weapon again.
Edgar now faces two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm and six attempted murder charges. Police have released footage of the moment he allegedly opened fire on the crowd in downtown Orlando, as well as his subsequent arrest.
Before his untimely death, Schmidt Jr. was a player for the USL League Two team Weston FC and was in his first year at the University of Central Florida. Jacob Egozi, a fellow student who created a GoFundMe page to support Timothy's father, described him as an "extraordinary person, loving son, caring friend, talented soccer player, astounding teammate, kind soul, hardworking student and individual with an extremely warm heart and a witty sense of humor." The fundraising page, which has a target of $40,000, has so far raised over $30,000.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gun violence, raising questions about the effectiveness of current measures to prevent such atrocities. As the community mourns the loss of two young lives, the focus now shifts to the legal proceedings against the accused, Jaylen Dwayne Edgar.
Login