‘He kept shooting at me’: Injured photographer Jesse Walden recounts moment journo Dylan Lyons was killed
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Jesse Walden, the photographer who was with journalist Dylan Lyons as he got gunned down in the recent shooting at Orlando explained the horrible experience to the media. He claimed, “I turn around because I’m like, ‘Oh, there must be a drive-by shooting going on.’ I see he’s shooting at me."
The incident on Wednesday, February 22, also led to the death of a 38-year-old woman, Nathacha Augustin, and T'yonna Major, a 9-year-old girl. Keith Melvin Moses, a 19-year-old man has been arrested in the shooting that happened on Wednesday.
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Who is Jesse Walden?
Walden is extremely passionate about his work and has over a decade of experience, as seen from his LinkedIn profile. He has completed his Bachelor's in Creative Media, Film/Cinema/Video Studies from New Mexico State University. He had extensively volunteered as a videographer with 'Convoy of Hope,' and as an Audio/Visual Presenter with Mesilla Park Community Church. Later, he started working with KRWG News 22 as the Chief Editor of the video department. He then shifted to KOB 4 News as its production operator, editor, and photojournalist for more than four years. Later, he rendered his service as a Photojournalist with KSTU Fox 13 TV for more than a year. Currently, he is a Photojournalist with FOX 35 Orlando, WOFL-TV.
The survivor stated, “I assumed he was shooting at a house or something behind me and I just happened to catch a bullet. But he kept shooting at me.” “I was trying to figure out if I could kinda play cat and mouse with him and avoid being shot,” Walden recalled. He then added, “Dylan was a reporter I worked with every day,” Walden said. “We were best friends. He was just a sweet guy. He was young and he loved trying hard. That’s what we like to do. We like to push the boundaries. We like to get our hands dirty. It’s just unprovoked, senseless, random violence that no one could’ve saw coming.” "It’s so unfair that it happened to Dylan," said Walden as per New York Post.
What happened to Dylan Lyons?
24-year-old Lyons was killed while reporting from the scene of a murder during the shooting spree in Florida. Lyons joined the News 13 team in July 2022 and had previously reported for several local Florida stations like WCJB TV20 from September 2021 to June 2022, after graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in journalism and political science in 2019. "Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dylan’s journey to journalism was fueled by his desire to tell stories that impact local communities. As a reporter, he’s honored to have the unique privilege of being a voice for the voiceless and making sure all communities and stories are treated fairly and equally," states the News 13 website. He was awarded the best 'Politics/Elections Series' by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists in 2020.
What are the charges against Keith Melvin Moses?
The 19-year-old suspect is only charged with one count of first-degree murder for shooting Augustin. Additional charges are expected to be filed against him for the shooting deaths of T'yonna and Lyons, as per WFLA.