Three men vacationing in central Florida were shot and killed Saturday in what authorities are calling a random and premeditated act of violence that has shaken the Kissimmee community.
Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, 29, stands accused of the triple homicide that occurred outside a rental property adjacent to his home in Osceola County. Sheriff Christopher Blackmon addressed reporters Sunday, describing the incident as both horrific and senseless.
Deputies discovered the bodies of three adult males Saturday afternoon at approximately 12:13 p.m. after responding to reports of a shooting at a residential subdivision near Kissimmee. All three victims had suffered apparent gunshot wounds.
The victims have been identified as Robert Luis Kraft, 69, of Holland, Michigan, his brother Douglas Joseph Kraft, 68, of Columbus, Ohio, and their friend James Puchan, 68, also of Ohio. The three men had extended their stay at the rental property by one day due to vehicle trouble while awaiting service.
What makes this case particularly disturbing is the apparent absence of any conflict or prior interaction between the accused and his victims. Sheriff Blackmon emphasized that there were no issues between the parties and no discernible motive for the attack.
“It was cold-blooded, it was premeditated, there was absolutely no issues,” Blackmon stated. “There was no conflict between these people. This was just random. And this happened to be the person who lived next door.”
Approximately one hour after deputies arrived at the scene, they located Bojeh inside his residence next door to the rental property. He was taken into custody and booked into the Osceola County Jail on three counts of premeditated murder and one count of resisting arrest without violence.
Sheriff Blackmon revealed that Bojeh was well known to local law enforcement, describing him as a frequent presence in their records. The sheriff went further, characterizing the suspect as a persistent threat to the neighborhood.
“I can tell you he was a threat to that neighborhood all the time,” Blackmon said, noting that Bojeh had been arrested previously in connection with another shooting incident.
The tragedy underscores ongoing concerns about public safety and the challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring individuals with violent histories. Three families now mourn the loss of loved ones who were simply waiting for their vehicle to be repaired so they could return home from what should have been an ordinary vacation.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together the full circumstances surrounding this senseless loss of life. Bojeh remains in custody as the case moves forward through the criminal justice system.
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