ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orange County grand jury has returned an 11-count indictment against 17-year-old Jaylen Edgar, who is accused of killing two people and injuring seven others during Halloween celebrations in downtown Orlando in the early hours of Nov. 1.
Edgar was initially charged as a minor, but State Attorney Andrew Bain announced several days after the shooting that he would be charged as an adult.
"This decision was not made lightly — and only after reviewing all the available evidence," Bain said on Nov. 4 of the decision to charge Edgar as an adult. "This decision is based on several aggravating factors, including the brazen nature of the crime, and the multiple victims who were shot in the middle of the street in downtown who were out simply celebrating Halloween."
Edgar is has been accused of opening fire just after 1 a.m. on Nov. 1 while an estimated 75,000 people were in downtown Orlando for Halloween celebrations. Tyrek Hill, 25, and 19-year-old University of Central Florida student Timothy Schmidt Jr. were killed in the shooting.
The grand jury indicted Edgar on the following charges:
- Two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm
- Seven counts of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm
- Possession of a firearm by a minor
- Culpable negligence with personal injury
The grand jury returned the indictment on Wednesday, and it was announced by Bain's office on Thursday.