Three tourists were shot and killed on Saturday outside their Airbnb near Walt Disney World in a “random” attack by a repeat criminal who allegedly stalked the tourists prior to killing them.
In a statement on Facebook, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office announced that law enforcement officials were notified at roughly 12:13 p.m. of a shooting in the Indian Point subdivision near Kissimmee, Florida. After responding to the call, law enforcement officials found that three adult males had been killed in front of a home located at 296 Indian Point Circle. The sheriff’s office confirmed that the three victims “suffered from apparent gunshot wounds.”
According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, officials were able to quickly locate and arrest the suspect, who has been identified as 29-year-old Ahmad Jihad Bojeh. The 29-year-old suspect, who lived next to the Airbnb, was taken into custody at the Osceola County Jail and currently faces three counts of first-degree murder.
Fox News reported that the three victims have been identified as 70-year-old Robert Luis Kraft, 69-year-old James John Puchan, and 68-year-old Douglas Joseph Kraft. In a joint statement obtained by Fox News, the three victims’ families said the tourists had traveled to Florida for the Mecum Car Show and were staying at an Airbnb.
The victims’ families told Fox News that the three elderly men were waiting for assistance after experiencing car trouble and were stalked by the suspect before being killed outside their Airbnb.
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“There were no known interactions between the men and this individual prior to the event; they were then approached and senselessly murdered,” the families stated. “This was a random, tragic act.”
Fox News reported that law enforcement officials arrested Bojeh and recovered two firearms after he fled to his residence in the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting. The outlet noted that the 29-year-old suspect has had multiple encounters with law enforcement officials.
According to court records obtained by Fox News, Bojeh was previously charged with attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and with aggravated battery in 2021 after allegedly shooting at an individual and at random vehicles in a gas station parking lot. However, Bojeh was found not guilty due to insanity. Bojeh was also previously arrested for misdemeanor resisting an officer without violence and felony drug possession, according to Fox News.
“Across the country, we see violent criminals getting to walk free, back into society, because of insanity defenses,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier told Fox News. “We won’t tolerate leftist prosecutors releasing murderers and violent criminals to hurt our families.”
