A teenage suspect accused of fatally shooting two people during Halloween in Orlando did not appear in court on Saturday. He rather sent his mother in his place.
17-year-old Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, who allegedly injured eight others and killed two men in downtown Orlando, was scheduled to appear before a judge.
However, Edgar missed court and his mother made an appearance that was deemed ’emotional’, according to Fox 35 Orlando.
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She spoke briefly, only to confirm Edgar’s identity, although his reason for not appearing in court remains unclear.
“Could you speak into the microphone?” the judge asked her. “Just take a moment, collect yourself.”
Due to the seriousness of the charges, Edgar is expected to be charged as an adult although he is likely to remain in juvenile detention for now.
He faces two counts of first-degree murder and also six counts of attempted first-degree murder.
According to a Daily Mail report, Police revealed that a University of Central Florida freshman, identified as 19-year-old Timothy Schmidt, was with friends at “The Block” — a popular entertainment district in downtown Orlando when Edgar allegedly opened fire on the crowd.
Schmidt and another young man identified as Tyrek Hill, were later pronounced dead at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Timothy Schmidt Sr., the father of the UCF student, opened up on the incident to The New York Post and described it as heartbreaking to lose his “one-of-a-kind” son. “Timothy was just out with his friends having fun.”
“One month before I dropped him off for his summer session at UCF, he was the best man at my wedding and gave the best speech ever,” Schmidt Sr. said. “He brought everyone to tears. He was my mini-me and my best friend. We had such a special bond.”
After the shooting, Halloween revelers in costume gathered near the scene as those wounded in the street were treated by emergency responders.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith confirmed at a press conference that the teenage suspect had been identified and was taken into custody.
During the incident, a 26-year-old woman was reportedly hospitalized after being trampled in the chaos.
Edgar allegedly fled and reappeared a block away near Orange Avenue and Washington Street, where he reportedly fired again.
Police have released footage of the incident, which shows the teenage suspect allegedly opening fire on the crowd before officers tackled and arrested him.
Schmidt Jr was a talented soccer player who played for the USL League Two team Weston FC and was in his first year at UCF.
Friends and classmates remember him fondly and have described him as a kind, humorous, and dedicated individual.
“Timothy was 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,” said Jacob Egozi, a friend who organized a GoFundMe campaign to support Schmidt’s father.
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The fundraiser, which had a goal of $40,000, has raised over $30,000 so far.
