ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Calling for change, the families of Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons and 9-year-old T’yonna Major spoke publicly Thursday for the first time since a deadly Pine Hills shooting spree eight days ago.
The shooting suspect Keith Moses, 19, faces three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Moses is accused of killing Lyons, Major, and Nathacha Augustin, 38, in three separate shootings on Feb. 22.
Spectrum News 13 photojournalist Jesse Walden and Major’s mother were both critically injured during two of the shootings.
Moses, who has a lengthy arrest history, is currently being held without bond at the Orange County jail.
During a news conference Thursday afternoon, it was difficult for the families to fully express their grief over their lost children, but expressed their frustrations with the politics behind gun laws and regulation.
“She was my everything. I just want the world to know that. Until we meet again Yaya — daddy loves you, daddy loves you,” said Tokiyo Major, T’yonna’s father.
Both families are represented by Central Florida attorney Mark NeJame who is helping them bring attention to gun violence in America. According to NeJame, he and the families believe they are currently being exploited by Sen. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Both politicians have taken to the podium, deflecting the issue of gun violence in America and their support of essentially insane, barely restricted gun laws and open carry legislation which will only cause more needless and innocent deaths,” he said during the Thursday news conference.
He also noted that neither Scott nor DeSantis has reached out to either family to send condolences.
Spectrum News has reached out to the offices of both DeSantis and Scott for reaction but has not received responses.
Both families who never met before are now sharing the darkest times of their lives together.
“He has become my brother — two fathers who have lost children,” said Gary Lyons.
Describing Dylan as a professional, Gary took a moment to talk about his son. “[Dylan] wanted to look and be a professional. My son always promised to take care of my wife, my family, my children, if I was gone. I told him that was his responsibility, and he said, ‘Dad, I am going to do it for you.'”
Grief forced Major’s mother, Brandi, to step out during the news conference, but her father expressed the joy that was his daughter.
“She was my gymnast, my number one friend. Didn’t miss a swim practice, she was my fishing buddy. It’s so hard. It’s just so hard,” he said.
The families plan to hold a vigil together sometime next week.