Ga. man arrested in multi-hotel shooting spree in Orlando that left 2 injured

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Georgia man is accused of attempted murder and several other charges after detectives say he went on a shooting spree in Orlando that left several people injured.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said they got reports of an active shooter in the lobby of the Westgate Lakes Resort on Wednesday around 11:40 p.m.

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Deputies found a woman with a gunshot wound at the scene. Witnesses said a man started shooting with an AR-15 -style rifle and drove off in a Lexus sedan.

Ten minutes later, deputies got a call from the Marriott Cypress Harbour advising that a hotel security guard had been shot by a man driving a black sedan. That victim was also taken to the hospital, where he or she had surgery.

Five minutes later, deputies got a report of a man firing a rifle into two separate cars and a bus. No one was hit, but there were several young children in the vehicles.

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Shortly after, a deputy was driving on Interstate 4 when he saw a car in front of him. The deputy found an AR-15 rifle in the passenger seat of the car.

The deputy found Jailen Houston sitting on a guardrail.

“All of the shooting locations and crash location are within a few miles of each other,” officer Frank Hernandez wrote in the affidavit. “Upon making contact with Houston, he made a spontaneous utterance indicating he committed the crimes.”

Houston was put in handcuffs and taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning, where he confessed to all of the shootings.

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“Houston stated that he lives in Georgia and traveled to Orlando two days ago to try to enroll in a local university,” Hernandez wrote. “He advised that he was frustrated with the West Gate Lakes Resort after believing he was scammed earlier in the evening when he tried to check in. From the West Gate Lakes Resort he drove to a store, purchased magazines and ammunition from the store, and loaded his rifle.”

Houston told detectives that he felt good while he was shooting at people and that it gave him a sense of relief. He said he would conduct similar shootings in the future if he had the chance.

A witness positively identified him as the person who shot the woman at the Westgate Lakes Resort.

Houston is being charged with attempted first degree murder and more charges are expected. Houston’s address is listed as being in Dallas, Georgia, according to the affidavit.

The victims’ identities and conditions have not been released.

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