ORLANDO, Fla. — After months of delays, jury selection begins Monday in the trial of Jaylen Edgar, the suspect accused of opening fire into a crowd during Halloween celebrations in downtown Orlando in 2024.
Attorneys will spend the day questioning potential jurors, trying to determine who can remain fair and impartial in a case where mental health is expected to be a central issue.
He is accused of killing two people and injuring seven others after shooting into the large Halloween crowd.
The victims were identified as 25-year-old Tyrek Hill and 19-year-old Timothy Schmidt Jr.
Before testimony can begin, the court must seat a jury prepared to consider Edgar’s defense.
Edgar recently wrote to the judge saying he takes full responsibility for what happened, while also asking the court to consider that he was suffering from an extreme mental or emotional disturbance at the time of the shooting.
That request resulted in a second mental health evaluation earlier this year and pushed back what had been scheduled as a January trial.
Edgar’s defense attorney previously warned him that an insanity defense can be difficult for juries to accept.
Despite those concerns, the judge ordered the additional evaluation after Edgar rejected a plea deal and indicated he wanted to pursue an insanity defense.
Florida law allows a defendant to pursue that defense even when his attorney objects to the strategy.
With the latest evaluation completed, the case is now moving forward.
Once a jury is seated, the trial is expected to last up to two weeks.
The shooting happened early Nov. 1, 2024, as thousands of people gathered downtown for Halloween celebrations.
Police said Edgar, who was 17 at the time, opened fire into the crowd.
He was later charged as an adult.
For the families of those killed, however, the legal proceedings are only one part of the aftermath.
They have spent nearly two years living with the loss of loved ones whose lives were cut short during what was supposed to be a night of celebration.
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