Florida Neighbor With Prior Insanity Acquittal Charged in Random Triple Killing of Tourists Near Disney
Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, who lived next door to the rental, was charged with three counts of premeditated murder and resisting arrest after deputies found him in his home about an hour following a random, "senseless" shooting that killed three tourists minutes from Disney's Magic Kingdom; he is being held without bond. Bojeh had a 2021 not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict in an attempted first‑degree murder with a firearm and aggravated battery case and has prior arrests for felony drug possession and misdemeanor resisting an officer, prompting Sheriff Christopher Blackmon to call him a "frequent flyer" and Attorney General James Uthmeier to fault a suspended state attorney for not contesting the insanity defense.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- Ahmad Jihad Bojeh has been charged in the random triple killing of tourists minutes from Walt Disney World and is being held without bond on three counts of premeditated murder plus resisting arrest.
- Deputies found Bojeh in his home about an hour after the shooting; he lived next door to the rental where the victims were staying.
- In 2021 Bojeh was tried for attempted first‑degree murder with a firearm and aggravated battery after allegedly firing at a person and random vehicles at a Kissimmee gas station; he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in that case.
- Records show additional prior arrests, including felony drug possession and a misdemeanor resisting‑an‑officer (without violence), reflecting years of repeated law‑enforcement contact.
- Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon called Bojeh a "frequent flyer" and "a threat to the neighborhood all the time," citing repeated calls for service involving the suspect.
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier blamed suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell for not contesting Bojeh’s 2021 insanity defense, suggesting that decision allowed him to go free previously.
đź“Š Relevant Data
In a prospective follow-up study of 127 not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) acquittees in Virginia, 75.6% maintained their conditional release, while 24.4% had their release revoked, with revocation predicted by factors such as previous failure on conditional release, nonadherence with hospital treatment, dangerousness to others, and previous violent charges.
Court-appointed mental health professionals are more likely to find Black criminal defendants not guilty by reason of insanity compared to similarly situated White defendants.
Insanity defense — Wikipedia
Arab Americans report higher average mental illness stigma and are more likely to rate psychiatric medications as harmful compared to non-Arabs, contributing to disparities in mental health treatment utilization.
đź“° Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms suspect Ahmad Jihad Bojeh’s 2021 case for attempted first‑degree murder with a firearm and aggravated battery, in which he was found not guilty by reason of insanity after allegedly shooting at a person and random vehicles at a Kissimmee gas station.
- Details additional prior arrests for felony drug possession and misdemeanor resisting an officer without violence, describing years of repeated law‑enforcement contact.
- Quotes Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier blaming suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell for not contesting Bojeh’s insanity defense and suggesting that allowed him to go free.
- Quotes Sheriff Christopher Blackmon calling Bojeh a "frequent flyer" and "a threat to the neighborhood all the time," citing repeated calls for service involving the suspect.
- Reiterates that Bojeh lived next door to the rental and that deputies found him in his home about an hour after the shooting; confirms he is held without bond on three premeditated‑murder counts plus resisting arrest.