ORLANDO, Fla. – After almost two years of waiting for answers about the death of her son, Tyrek Hill’s mother is speaking out after a jury found Jaylen Edgar guilty in the 2024 downtown Orlando Halloween shooting.
Teresa Clinton said the verdict brought her a sense of peace, but she believes the case is about more than the punishment of one person. She wants community leaders to address the gun violence and circumstances that can lead to deadly shootings.
“But I have a peace now,” Clinton said.
Edgar, 18, was found guilty on all nine counts in the shooting that killed Hill, 25, and Timothy Schmidt Jr. and injured seven others.
[WATCH: ‘Just a great kid’: Mass shooting victim remembered as good employee, friend]
For Clinton, the verdict brought complicated emotions.
“A part of me feels very disturbed and a little bit sad for the young man,” she said. “Because we lost not only two lives. We lost three.”
Clinton said her son had gone downtown with friends that Halloween night to enjoy the evening.
“He wanted to enjoy the moment,” she said. “And the way that he was standing there, it was that he didn’t expect none of that.”
Clinton described Hill as a loving and kind young man who cared about others.
“Tyrek was a very loving, kind, understanding young man,” she said. “He was a gentle giant. He loved people.”
During the trial, Clinton said she and Edgar made eye contact in the courtroom. She believes that moment carried a message.
“I said that was his way of saying he’s sorry because I looked into his eyes,” Clinton said.
However, Clinton believes he needs to take full responsibility for his actions. When asked what she would have liked to hear from him during the trial, “What I would want to hear from Jaylen is a sincere that he’s sorry.”
Clinton plans to speak during Edgar’s sentencing. But she said her message will extend beyond her own family and the outcome of the case.
“I know that we can’t stop everything, but we have to be able to pay attention to the things that lead to this,” Clinton said.
For Clinton, justice is not only about a guilty verdict. She hopes the decision can help spark action to prevent another family from experiencing the loss and pain her family has endured.
The sentencing is expected to be the next major step in the case.
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