A US television journalist and a young girl have been shot dead in central Florida near the scene of another fatal shooting just hours earlier, according to police.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina told a news conference police had detained 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, who they believed was responsible for both shootings in the Orlando-area neighbourhood.
Besides the journalist, from Spectrum News 13, and the nine-year-old girl, another TV crew member and the girl's mother were injured during the second shooting.
They were in critical condition at a local hospital.
"I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners," Mr Mina told a room full of reporters.
"I work closely with all of you and know many of you and know the very difficult job that you do and also the very important job that you do for our community and for law enforcement.
"No-one in our community — not a mother, not a nine-year-old and certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence in our community."
Mr Mina said police did not know the motive for the shootings.
"It is unclear if he knew they were news media or not. We're still trying to work all that out," he said.
Mr Mina said the News 13 vehicle did not look like a typical news van with TV station markings.
Deputies had initially responded to the Pine Hills area, just north-west of Orlando, in central Florida, on Wednesday morning following reports of a woman in her 20s being shot.
Mr 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 nine-year-old," Mr Mina said.
According to witnesses, a man approached the news vehicle later on Wednesday and opened fire, hitting the two reporters.
The man then walked to a nearby home and shot the mother and daughter.
Crew members of another television station, who were also reporting on the morning shooting, tried to give medical aid to the Spectrum 13 journalists.
Mr Mina said Moses was facing a murder charge for the initial victim, and charges were expected to be laid soon regarding the other four victims.
Mr Moses' criminal history includes gun charges, as well as aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft offences, the sheriff said.
"Our hearts go out to the family of the journalist killed today and the crew member injured in Orange County, Florida, as well as the whole Spectrum News team," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.
Spectrum News 13 was not identifying the crew members who were involved in the shooting, according to a story on the TV station's website.
"Please, please, say a prayer tonight for our co-worker who is in critical condition," Spectrum 13 journalist Celeste Springer said during her live on-air report.
"And while you're at it, please say a prayer for every victim of gun violence in this country."
Worldwide, 40 journalists were reported killed last year, plus another two this year before Wednesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Only one of those was in the United States.
AP/ABC
