Nine-year-old girl and TV reporter shot dead in Florida

Orange County Sheriff John Mina addresses the media during a press conference about multiple shootings. Credit: AP

A television journalist and young girl have been killed near the scene of an earlier deadly shooting in Florida.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a news conference that they’ve detained Keith Melvin Moses, 19, who they believe is responsible for both shootings in the Orlando-area neighborhood.

Besides the Spectrum News 13 journalist and the nine-year-old girl, a TV crew member and the girl’s mother were wounded during the second shooting. They were in critical condition at a local hospital.

According to witnesses, a man approached the news vehicle later on Wednesday and opened fire, hitting the two reporters. The man then walked to a nearby home and shot the mother and daughter.

“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mr Mina told a room full of reporters.

“I work closely with all of you and know many of you and know the very difficult job that you do and also the very important job that you do for our community and for law enforcement. 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.”

Mr Mina said a motive for both sets of shootings is yet to be determined.

“So, the suspect is not saying much right now,” Mr Mina said. “It is unclear if he knew they were news media or not. We’re still trying to work all that out.”

Police believe Keith Melvin Moses is responsible for both shootings. Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office via AP

Mr Mina said the News 13 vehicle did not look like a typical news van with TV station markings.

Deputies had initially responded to the Pine Hills area, just northwest of Orlando, on Wednesday morning following reports of a woman in her 20s being shot.

Moses “was an acquaintance of the woman... but as far as we know, had no connection to the reporters and no connection to the mother and the nine-year-old,” Mr Mina said.

Mr Mina said Moses is already facing a murder charge for the initial victim, and charges are expected soon for the other four victims. Moses’ criminal history includes gun charges, as well as aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft offenses, the sheriff said.

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“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,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.

Spectrum News 13 was not identifying the crew members who were involved in the shooting, according to a story on the TV station’s website.

WFTV crews, who were also reporting on the morning shooting, tried to give medical aid to the Spectrum 13 journalists.

“Please, please, say a prayer tonight for our co-worker who is in critical condition. And while you’re at it, please say a prayer for every victim of gun violence in this country,” Spectrum 13 journalist Celeste Springer said during her live on-air report.

Worldwide, 40 journalists were reported killed last year, plus another two this year before Wednesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Only one of those was in the United States.

Jeff German, who covered politics and corruption for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead outside of his home in September after being stabbed multiple times. Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, who had been a frequent subject of Mr German’s reporting, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.

In 2015, Virginia reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were shot and killed during their live TV broadcast for CBS affiliate WDBJ7. The suspect, a former reporter for the TV station, died by suicide during the law enforcement search for him.