### Orlando Mayor Imposes Curfew and Restricts Alcohol Sales Following Fatal Downtown Shooting

In a swift response to a tragic incident, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced new measures aimed at curbing violence in the downtown entertainment district following an overnight shooting that claimed two lives and injured seven others. "The safety of our city is our No. 1 priority," Dyer emphasized. "We will not tolerate crime in our city."

The measures, which include a curfew from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and a mandate for alcohol sales to cease by midnight, come in the wake of a chaotic scene near East Central Boulevard and North Orange Avenue. Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith detailed that eight people were shot, resulting in two fatalities, and a ninth individual was trampled during the ensuing panic. The victims, ranging in age from 19 to 39, were taken to the Orlando Regional Medical Center. Two remain in critical condition.

The suspect in the case, 17-year-old Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, who has a known prior arrest record, was swiftly apprehended after the shootings. Police indicated that the suspect's easy access to firearms might be attributed to recent changes in the state's concealed weapons laws, which could have made it easier to carry guns into downtown areas.

Orlando has been grappling with a rise in gun violence, witnessed by what are now the 18th and 19th homicides of the year. Mayor Dyer recollected the city's efforts to bolster downtown security after a similar shooting in 2022, which included increasing police presence, coordinated entry points, weapons screening, and enhanced business security protocols. Despite these measures, the need for more stringent policies has become apparent.

The victims of the recent tragedy have been identified and their injuries detailed:
- Victim 1: Black male, 25, deceased
- Victim 2: White male, 19, deceased
- Victim 3: White male, 18, shot in lower left leg
- Victim 4: White female, 39, shot in left hand
- Victim 5: Hispanic female, 24, shot in left leg
- Victim 6: Black male, 20, shot in head (graze)
- Victim 7: Hispanic male, 26, shot in right foot
- Victim 8: Hispanic female, 19, shot in upper back, lodged in cheek
- Victim 9: Hispanic female, 26, injuries from being trampled

As the city mourns the loss and pledges to enforce new safety measures, Dyer's declaration highlights the urgent need for proactive steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.