Police: Surveillance video captures moment man shot, injured in downtown Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. — Police said surveillance video captured the moment a 20-year-old man shot a man in downtown Orlando.

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Two teenagers were also arrested in connection with the shooting.

Michael Thomas Jr. is facing a second-degree attempted murder charge and burglary.

READ: Man, 2 juveniles in custody after shooting in heart of downtown Orlando

A 24-year-old man was hurt in the shooting that happened near the Orange County Administration building around 4:30 a.m. Monday.

One of the teens involved told officers they’d asked the 24-year-old if they could use his cell phone. Officers said an argument ensued, and the teen believed the man was reaching into his waistband to get a gun. That’s when the teen said he heard gunshots and the man scream.

READ: Youth violence spree continues in Central Florida as kids prepare for summer break

Officers said the interaction was caught on video surveillance footage. In it, officers said they were clearly able to see Thomas Jr. approaching the victim and shoot him approximately three times before running off.

Police said Thomas Jr. and the two teenagers were also seen on video in and around the area following the shooting.

Police told Channel 9 that three hours after the shooting, they got a call about someone trying to break into a store to steal a bicycle.

When they arrived and cuffed the suspects, they realized they were the same people involved in the shooting.

READ: Man, 2 teens arrested in connection with downtown Orlando shooting

Police thanked the community for helping them make the arrest.

“If you see anything, give us a call. Let us know. You never know what your suspicions could lead to,” said Lt. Frank Chisari.

At last check, the victim, who still hasn’t been named, underwent surgery and was in stable condition.

A grassroots organization called Credible Messengers, a national organization of former gang members and adults once involved in violence, said they’re digging through research to figure out why violence involving young people keeps happening.

READ: Orange County working on plan to help keep teens out of trouble

“What we are exploring is through the lens of experienced Credible Messengers is how certain motivations play into decision making and emotional connections around gangs and gang violence,” said Credible Messengers advisor Katherine Philip.

She said the ultimate goal is to figure out how to stop it before there’s a problem.

“Using that information what we really hope comes out of this work is to identify patterns that can be used to basically address problem spots before they happen for future youth,” Philips said.

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