In a shocking incident over the weekend, a gunman opened fire on three tourists in a neighborhood close to Florida’s famous Disney World. Authorities have identified the suspect as 29-year-old Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, who was apprehended for the “cold-blooded” killing of the three men in Kissimmee, a small city just outside Orlando. The victims were reportedly stranded at a rental property next to Bojeh’s home after their car broke down.
Bojeh faces serious charges, including three counts of premeditated murder and one count of resisting arrest. He has been taken into custody at the Osceola County Jail, as confirmed by county jail records on Saturday.
The motive behind this tragic event remains unclear, as Bojeh allegedly did not have any prior connection to the victims. During a press conference on Sunday, Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon described the act as: “It was cold-blooded, it was premeditated. There was absolutely no issue. There was no conflict between these people. This was just random. And this happened to be the person who lived next door.”
A motive for the shooting is unclear, as Bojeh reportedly did not know the murdered men. At a press conference on Sunday, Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said: ‘It was cold-blooded, it was premeditated.
‘There was absolutely no issues. There was no conflict between these people. This was just random. And this happened to be the person who lived next door.’
The neighborhood where the men were shot is popular with tourists visiting Disney World. The site of the crime is around 8 miles from the theme park, or about a 15-minute drive.
Blackmon said the arrested suspect ‘was a threat to the neighborhood all the time’ during the press conference.
‘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,’ the sheriff added.
Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, 29, was arrested on Saturday and charged with three counts of premeditated murder after three tourists were found shot dead next to his home
The dead men were found outside this rental property at 296 Indian Point Circle in Kissimmee, Florida
Police said two guns were recovered from Bojeh’s property, and investigators are working to determine if either was used in the shooting.
The victims were identified as Robert Lewis Kraft, 70, of Holland, Michigan, and his brother, Douglas Joseph Kraft, 68, of Columbus, Ohio. The third victim was James John Puchan, 68, also of Columbus, Ohio. Police said the next of kin of all three victims have been notified.
According to a press release from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to multiple calls about the shooting placed around 12.14pm.
When they arrived at the rental property five minutes later, they found the three men dead outside and saw Bojeh flee towards his residence.
The sheriff’s office quickly obtained a warrant for Bojeh’s arrest and served it at his property the same day.
‘There is no threat to the community, as the suspect responsible for these horrific and senseless murders has been apprehended by Osceola County deputies,’ Sheriff Blackmon said in the press release.
During the press conference, Blackmon said: ‘As of right now, we have nothing. Just looks like a random – but again, the investigation, it’s ongoing. It’s fresh, it’s new. We’re just a little bit over 24 hours into it, so we’re trying to gather the facts.’
A resident of the area, Adam Andersen, told WESH: ‘It’s a little concerning. I have a daughter, thank God she’s not here.
The shooting took place in a neighborhood popular with tourists visiting Disney World just outside of Orlando. The rental property where the men were killed is about 8 miles from the theme park, or about a 15-minute drive
Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said that Bojeh ‘was a threat to the neighborhood all the time’ at a press conference on Sunday
‘It’s concerning, especially that this individual was shot publicly in an open area like a gas station over a simple thing as an argument and was released. It’s scary but not surprising, you know.’
Andersen was referring to a prior crime Bojeh was arrested for in 2021, after he allegedly shot at a person and several vehicles in a Wawa gas station parking lot in Kissimmee.
One man was injured and survived. Bojeh was later acquitted by reason of insanity.
The murder suspect appeared in court on Sunday, and a judge found probable cause to hold him in the county jail without bond.
In Florida, premeditated murder is a capital felony. If Bojeh is found guilty of his charges, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
