A late-night stop at a Wawa convenience store in Orlando turned into a scene of violence early Sunday morning, leaving a young woman critically injured and a 20-year-old man facing multiple felony charges. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Jameson Delva was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm after allegedly shooting a former high school friend in the face during an encounter in the store’s parking lot. Investigators say the incident unfolded shortly after midnight and was preceded by what appeared to be a routine and even friendly interaction between people who had known each other for years.
The shooting occurred at approximately 12:50 a.m. outside the Wawa located at 12083 South Orange Blossom Trail. Law enforcement officials say the victim, who works at a nearby smoke shop, had stopped at the convenience store with her girlfriend and another friend to inflate a tire before heading home. What followed, authorities allege, was an unprovoked act of gun violence that has shocked both investigators and those familiar with the individuals involved, particularly given the victim’s description of the suspect as someone she viewed “almost as a little brother.”
Delva, identified by multiple witnesses and later by surveillance video, is accused of firing three to five rounds into the victims’ vehicle, striking the victim in the face and sending her to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The case now stands as another example of how quickly familiar encounters can escalate into serious crimes, and it raises questions about motive, misidentification, and the lasting consequences of gun violence among young adults.
The Shooting Outside the Wawa on South Orange Blossom Trail
According to the arrest report, the victim, her girlfriend, and another friend arrived at the Wawa shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday. The purpose of the stop was practical and uneventful: the group needed to inflate a tire before continuing their drive. After finishing at the air pump, they began to exit the parking lot when the victim noticed someone she believed to be her friend, Jameson Delva, standing outside the store.
Both the victim and her girlfriend reportedly rolled down their windows to offer Delva a ride, citing the cold weather and their familiarity with him. The victim later told detectives that she recognized Delva based on his clothing and mannerisms, noting that he frequently wore the same clothes and often wore a mask. She also said she had known him for years, dating back to middle school, and had maintained contact with him since 2022.
Investigators say that instead of responding verbally, the masked individual allegedly pulled a black handgun from his waistband and fired multiple shots into the car. The gunfire struck the victim in the face, while the other occupants narrowly avoided injury. The girlfriend, who was driving, immediately fled the parking lot and drove straight to Hunter’s Creek Emergency Room in an effort to save the victim’s life.
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Emergency medical personnel stabilized the victim before she was transferred to Osceola Regional Medical Center, where she was later placed in intensive care. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was unable to speak and instead communicated with detectives by typing on a cellphone. In her typed statement, she said she believed Delva may not have initially recognized her and may have mistaken her for someone else. She described telling him her name multiple times, suggesting that his poor eyesight could have contributed to the confusion.
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Law enforcement officers canvassed the area around the Wawa and adjacent businesses shortly after the shooting. They recovered three 9mm shell casings from the parking lot and later located a projectile inside the victims’ vehicle after it was towed for forensic processing. Surveillance footage from the Wawa showed a man matching Delva’s description entering the store around 12:30 a.m., completing a transaction approximately eight minutes later, and then walking toward the victims’ blue car shortly before it sped out of the parking lot.
Victim Statements and the Relationship With the Accused
One of the most striking aspects of the case, according to investigators, is the history between the victim and the accused. In her statement to detectives, the victim explained that she had known Delva since they rode the same middle school bus and that she had taken on a mentor-like role in his life. She described herself as his “big sis,” saying she often tried to guide him, look out for him, and even put money on his books when he needed help.
The victim told detectives she works at a smoke shop near the Wawa and that Delva is a frequent customer there. Both the victim and her girlfriend said they were familiar with where he lived, identifying a residence on Turmeric Avenue directly across the street from the Wawa. This information later proved significant in the investigation, as it helped detectives quickly narrow in on a suspect.
Because she could not speak, the victim typed out her account of the shooting. In her message, she wrote that she and her girlfriend were leaving the Wawa at the same time as Delva and that she rolled down her window to greet him. She suggested that he may not have realized who she was at first and that she tried to identify herself before the shooting occurred. Despite this, she maintained that she was certain Delva was the shooter and identified him in a mugshot lineup provided by detectives.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Victim 2 in the arrest report, corroborated much of this account. She told deputies she had known Delva for about six months through the smoke shop and described him as a regular customer. According to her statement, Delva approached the driver’s side of the car after she finished inflating the tire. As the windows were rolled down, she said, he pulled out a black pistol and fired three to five shots into the vehicle without warning.
A third passenger, seated in the back, also provided a statement to investigators. He said he had contacted the victim earlier that night asking for a ride home to avoid the cold weather. He recalled that the victim referred to the suspect as “James” moments before the gunfire erupted, further supporting the identification of Delva as the alleged shooter.
Together, the statements painted a consistent picture for investigators: a chance encounter between acquaintances that ended in sudden and extreme violence, with no immediate argument or confrontation preceding the shooting.
Arrest, Evidence Recovered, and Charges Filed
Based on witness statements, surveillance footage, and physical evidence collected at the scene, detectives identified Jameson Delva as the primary suspect. They obtained a search warrant for his residence on Turmeric Avenue, located directly across the street from the Wawa where the shooting occurred. When deputies arrived to execute the warrant, they gave verbal commands for Delva to exit the home.
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According to the arrest report, Delva made a spontaneous statement as he came out of the residence, saying, “I messed up. I love you,” before hugging his brother. Investigators later described the statement as unsolicited and potentially significant in establishing consciousness of guilt, though its interpretation will ultimately be left to the courts.
During a search of the residence, detectives found clothing that matched what the suspect was seen wearing in the Wawa surveillance video, including a sweatshirt and pants. They also recovered several loose 9mm rounds. While the firearm itself was not immediately detailed in the arrest report, the ammunition and clothing were seized as evidence.
Delva was taken into custody and later formally charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Authorities noted that the attempted murder charge reflects the severity of the victim’s injuries and the alleged intent inferred from firing multiple rounds at close range into a car occupied by several people.
As of the latest update, the victim remains hospitalized, having been stabilized after emergency treatment and moved to intensive care. Investigators have not released further details about her prognosis, citing medical privacy concerns. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the investigation is ongoing and that additional forensic analysis, including ballistics testing, may be conducted as the case moves forward.
Delva’s arrest brings a measure of closure to the immediate investigation, but it also marks the beginning of a lengthy legal process. If convicted, he could face decades in prison under Florida law. The case has drawn attention not only because of the violent nature of the alleged crime, but also because of the personal relationship between the accused and the victim, underscoring how acts of gun violence can emerge from situations that, on the surface, appear familiar and nonthreatening.
For now, authorities continue to urge anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward, while the victims and their families face the long road to recovery and justice in the aftermath of a shooting that has left a lasting impact on all involved.