Journalist Dylan Lyons killed while covering Florida shooting
A Florida reporter who was fatally shot on the job Wednesday after the suspect in an earlier shooting returned to the scene of the crime has been identified as Dylan Lyons, a reporter for Spectrum News 13.
“Following the shooting death of one of our colleagues and the injury of another, Spectrum News 13 has now identified the reporter who lost his life as Dylan Lyons,” the Orlando news station said. said Thursday morning.
Lyon was 24, according to a GoFundMe page created by his family. He joined Spectrum News 13 as a media reporter in July 2022, according to a biological on the media’s website.
The slain reporter was in Pine Hills, just outside Orlando, with a news crew around 4 p.m. to cover the murder of a woman who was found shot dead earlier in the morning, the sheriff said Wednesday. John Mina.
Mina identified this woman as Nathacha Augustin, 38, Thursday morning.
Keith Melvin Moses, 19, the suspect in the woman’s murder, returned to the scene and opened fire on Lyons and a photojournalist, whom Spectrum News 13 identified as Jesse Walden, while the two were in or near a vehicle, Mina said. The sheriff said one of the victims died, but he did not identify Lyons at the time.
In an earlier statement Wednesday, Spectrum News called the violence a tragedy.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and the other lives senselessly taken today,” he said. “Our hearts go out to the family, friends and colleagues of our employees during this very difficult time. We remain hopeful that our other colleague who was injured is making a full recovery.”
Lyon’s relatives in mourning
In a heartbreaking Twitter jobCasey Lynn, a woman identifying as Lyons’ fiancée, wrote, “The love of my life has been murdered.”
“I will never be the same person again,” she said, sharing a GoFundMe page set up by Lyons’ family to help cover the costs of his funeral.
On his own Twitter accountLyons previously linked to Casey Lynn’s account with a series of heart emojis.
In the GoFundMe set up by Lyons’ relatives, the organizer, who identifies herself as her older sister, Rachel Lyons, explains that the journalist was “an acting father to his niece and nephew whom he loved so much.” .
“He loved his fiancée and was a devoted son to his mother and father,” wrote Rachel Lyons.
“Dylan would have turned 25 in March,” she said. “He was a happy soul and a wonderful person in life. My brother was our baby. He was taken from us too soon.”
“Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dylan’s journey into journalism has been fueled by his desire to tell stories that impact local communities,” Lyons’ Spectrum told News 13. biological said.
Lyons was a “proud graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in journalism and political science,” he says, adding that while at UCF, the slain reporter anchored the UCF Knightly News, a student-run news station.
Prior to joining the Spectrum News 13 team, Lyons also worked as a reporter and anchor for the ABC affiliate. WCJB from Gainesville, says the bio. It was awarded Best “Politics/Elections Series” by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists and was a finalist for Investigative Journalism in 2021.
Lyons is the latest journalist killed in the United States while working
THE Journalists Protection Committee condemned the fatal shooting in Lyon.
“We are appalled by the murder of a Spectrum 13 reporter in Orange County, Florida, and we stand in solidarity with the newsroom,” said Katherine Jacobsen, the organization’s U.S. and Canada program coordinator. . “It is deeply disturbing that a journalist was killed while covering gun violence that has become a sickening fact of life in the United States. Journalists must be able to cover the news without having to fear for their lives.
The Committee to Protect Journalists noted that Lyon’s death came nearly six months after another journalist, Las Vegas Review Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, was stabbed to death outside his home on May 2. September 2022.
A total of 13 journalists and a media worker have been confirmed kill while working in the United States since the organization began keeping records in 1992.
Tributes for Lyon poured in after news of his death was announced.
“Dylan Lyons was a committed journalist and a major talent as an on-air presenter. Plus, he was part of the TV20 family,” WCJB TV20 Chief Information Officer Jon Levy said in a statement. statement. “He had the reach to flourish as a reporter for our morning show, then an evening reporter, and finally as a presenter to launch our 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts. He had a big personality. and was never afraid to ask the hard questions.”
“Dylan was also deeply involved in TV20’s charitable and community outreach efforts during his time in North Central Florida. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and the team at Spectrum News 13,” Levy said.
“If you knew Dylan, you knew he embodied journalism. Integrity. Passion. Ethics. Speed. He meant so much to so many people,” wrote Megan Turner in a Tweetersharing the GoFundMe page created by the Lyons family.
“I was his editor at UCF. He inspired me and always rooted for those around him — pray for his loved ones and colleagues,” Turner wrote.
“Absolutely awful. My heart goes out to @MyNews13friends and family of journalist Dylan Lyons, and family and friends of the 9-year-old girl,” Chandler Watkins wrote.
Many also shared condolence messages with Lyons’ fiancée, with Turner writing, “We’re here for you” in a Twitter post.
“I am so heartbroken for you and Dylan’s family,” wrote Alexandra Leslie, another reporter. “Rhode Island reporters are thinking of Dylan tonight,” she said.
A seriously injured photojournalist
Walden, the photojournalist, was still in critical condition Thursday. Greg Angel, a news anchor for Spectrum News 13, said in a Twitter post that evening that the “second colleague injured in the shooting” had “been able to speak with investigators and colleagues” while receiving treatment.
“Great sign. But a lot of procedures and healings to come,” he said. Walden’s condition was not immediately clear Thursday morning.
After the attack on Lyon and Walden, Moses entered a nearby home and shot a woman and her 9-year-old daughter, the sheriff said.
The girl, identified Thursday as T’yonna Major, died of her injuries.
The mother, who has not been identified, was in critical condition Wednesday evening. His condition was not immediately clear Thursday morning.
The suspect was arrested in the area and charged with the original murder, Mina said. He said Moses would be charged in the four other shootings later.
Mina said it was unclear whether Moses knew if Lyons and Walden “were news media or not.”
Moïse, “as far as we know, had no connection with the journalists and no connection with the mother and the 9-year-old child,” Mina said. “We don’t know why he entered this house.”
Augustin, who had been killed earlier, was an acquaintance of the suspect, the sheriff said.
The original killing took place inside a vehicle, Mina said, and detectives had identified Moses as a suspect and were following leads when the other shootings occurred.
It was not immediately clear if Moses had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Spectrum News 13 staff members kept telling the story Wednesday night even as they mourned their fallen colleague, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
“It’s extremely devastating for all of us,” journalist Celeste Springer said on air. “But I’m proud to have such an amazing team supporting us all….. Please, please say a prayer tonight for our colleague who is in critical condition. And during while you are there, say a prayer for every victim of gun violence.