A man has been charged with the premeditated murder of three tourists in a seemingly random and "cold-blooded" shooting near Florida's Walt Disney World Resort. The incident has sent shockwaves through a neighbourhood popular with visitors to the iconic theme park.
Details of the Fatal Shooting
Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, aged 29, was arrested on Saturday following the killings in Kissimmee, a city situated just outside Orlando. According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, the three victims – two brothers and their friend – had become stranded at a holiday rental property adjacent to Bojeh's home after their vehicle broke down.
Deputies responded to multiple emergency calls placed around 12:14 pm local time. Upon arriving at the scene on Indian Point Circle just five minutes later, they discovered the bodies of three men outside the rental home. Officers then witnessed Bojeh fleeing towards his own residence.
The victims have been identified as Robert Lewis Kraft, 70, from Holland, Michigan; his brother, Douglas Joseph Kraft, 68, from Columbus, Ohio; and James John Puchan, 68, also from Columbus, Ohio. Authorities have confirmed that all next of kin have been notified.
A 'Known' Suspect with a Troubled History
During a press conference on Sunday, Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon described the killings as senseless and premeditated. "There was absolutely no issues. There was no conflict between these people. This was just random," Sheriff Blackmon stated. He emphasised that the suspect, who lived next door to the crime scene, was a familiar figure to law enforcement.
"He was a threat to the neighbourhood all the time," Blackmon said. "We had a lot of calls for service on this person in that area, so he was a known person, a frequent flier to the sheriff’s office."
This was not Bojeh's first violent offence. In 2021, he was arrested for allegedly shooting at a person and several vehicles in a Wawa petrol station car park in Kissimmee, an incident that left one man injured. He was later acquitted in that case by reason of insanity.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Following a swift investigation, deputies obtained an arrest warrant and took Bojeh into custody at his property on the same day as the shootings. Two firearms were recovered from his home, and investigators are working to determine if either was used in the attack.
Bojeh has been charged with three counts of premeditated murder and one count of resisting arrest. He appeared in court on Sunday, where a judge found probable cause to hold him without bond at the Osceola County Jail.
In the state of Florida, premeditated murder is a capital felony. If convicted, Ahmad Jihad Bojeh faces either life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Sheriff Blackmon assured the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community following the suspect's apprehension.
The crime scene is situated approximately eight miles, or a 15-minute drive, from the entrance to the Disney World theme park complex. The area is known for its high concentration of short-term holiday rentals catering to tourists. Local residents expressed their concern, with one neighbour telling media the random violence was "scary but not surprising" given the suspect's history.
