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T’yonna Major: Family remembers girl, 9, fatally shot by Keith Melvin Moses as ‘perfectionist’ in heartbreaking post

Tokiyo’s co-workers made a GoFundMe page for the family and spoke about T'yonna Major and her mother, who was shot in the arm and is now recovering

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised

ORLANDO, FLORIDA: The 9-year-old girl who got killed along with 24-year-old Dylan Colby Lyons and a 38-year-old woman Nathacha Augustin in a shooting spree in Pine Hills on Wednesday afternoon, February 22 has been identified as T'yonna Major. Meanwhile, Orange County Sheriff John Mina identified the suspect as 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, who got arrested and charged with murder in connection to the shooting.

T'yonna's father, Tokiyo Major, described the "unthinkable" incident in a heartbreaking GoFundMe post. He wrote, "Our home was invaded by an armed gunman, who gunned down my 9 yr old daughter and shot my wife. Senseless violence has taken the life of my little girl, T'Yonna Major. She was a light to everyone that knew her. She was everything to us."

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Who was T'yonna Major?

Talking about T'yonna, the father further stated, "She was a great student at the top of her 3rd grade class and reading at a 5th grade level. She was outgoing as well as an amazing gymnast. As her teachers would say, 'The next Gabby Douglas'."

Tokiyo’s co-workers also created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family and spoke about the girl and her mother, who was shot in the arm and is now out of the hospital recovering. The page read, "Brandi and T’yonna Major were the individuals inside their home when the shooter came in. T’yonna was just 9 years old and unfortunately lost her life far too early because of senseless and selfish actions. The family was very close-knit and the true definition of love and loyalty. What this family is going through is something unimaginable. No one should have to bury their child. Brandi is currently recovering." T’yonna and her mother were the last victims in a day-long rampage on February 22.

In a recorded message to parents, Principal Latonya Smothers said, "I know I speak for our entire Pine Hills community when I express the grief that we feel at the loss of one of our own. She was a kind and beautiful young girl with an infectious smile. She will be missed dearly,” reports Orlando Sentinel. While Phyllis Turner, T’yonna’s maternal great-aunt, said, "T’yonna was the apple of her parents’ eye; she was just a true joy to them. She was extremely smart. She was at the top of her class. She was an amazing gymnast." And added that T’yonna’s gymnastics coach wanted to “really take her under her wing” as she “had the ability not only to excel and go to the Olympics,” but also to compete in gymnastics in college one day. “She was a perfectionist. She didn’t like second and third place. She just believed in excelling in everything she did," described Phyllis, as quoted by NBC.

What happened at Orlando shooting?

Two Spectrum News 13 journalists were covering the killing of the 38-year-old woman Nathacha in the area who was shot hours before this incident occurred. The suspect allegedly attacked the journalists in a vehicle at around 4 pm on February 22, according to the Mirror. Following this, the suspect then left the scene and shot Brandi and T’yonna inside their house. Officials responded to the scene and found the girl and the mother with gunshot wounds. The victims were rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center. However, T’yonna later died and her mother remained in critical condition. According to NPR, sheriff John Mina said "[Moses] was an acquaintance of the woman this morning, but as far as we know, had no connection to the reporters and no connection to the mother and the 9-year-old." The suspect who got arrested has a lengthy criminal history. The sheriff detailed, "At 19, he has a lengthy criminal history to include gun charges, aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and grand theft charges."