2 dead, 6 wounded in mass shooting of during Halloween celebration in downtown Orlando

Eight people were shot, two fatally into a crowd celebrating Halloween in downtown Orlando early Friday and a suspect was in custody, authorities said.

Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith told reporters the wounded were taken to hospitals and were in stable condition.

The victims ranged in age from 19 to 39, he said.

The suspect was identified as a 17-year-old male. Smith said he was arrested for grand theft last year.

There was no word on his hometown, what he was being charged with or the outcome of the other case.

There was also no indication of why he allegedly opened fire. 

The suspect is believed to be the only shooter, Smith said, adding that it was unclear whether he knew the victims.

Earlier, CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG-TV reported that dozens of responded to the shooting scene.

The station cited police as saying an emergency call came into dispatchers just after 1 a.m. EDT Friday indicating several people had been shot.

In a post on X early Friday calling it a “critical incident,” police said they’re “conducting a shooting investigation. … We are still gathering information and interviewing witnesses.”