OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The arraignment for Amhad Bojeh, accused of killing three tourists in Kissimmee, has been put on hold as his lawyers claim he is not competent to continue.
Just over a month after investigators say Bojeh shot three men to death outside a rental home in Kissimmee, he refused to appear for his court date. The hearing, scheduled for Bojeh to enter a plea, ended with a doctor being appointed to evaluate his competency.
Bojeh is accused of shooting three tourists staying at an Airbnb on Indian Point Circle on Jan. 17. The victims were visitors from Ohio attending a local car show. They were identified as Robert Lewis Kraft, 70, of Holland, Michigan; Douglas Joseph Kraft, 68, of Columbus, Ohio; and James John Puchan, 69, of Columbus, Ohio.
[VIDEO: 3 tourists shot dead in random Osceola County attack]
Deputies arrested Bojeh, who lived in the home next to the rental. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said there was no connection between Bojeh and the victims.
“This was completely random,” Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said. “There was no conflict between these people. It just happened to be the person who lived next door.”
[MORE: Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon discusses fatal shooting of 3 tourists]
On Wednesday, Bojeh’s attorney, public defender Alesha Smith, requested a competency evaluation for the 29-year-old, citing reasons to believe he is unable to proceed. Because Bojeh did not show up, the state requested that he be brought to future court dates by any means necessary.
“He did get up to eat, go to the bathroom. He is capable of getting up. He is refusing to appear for court today,” prosecutor Peter Donnelly said. “He is treating this as a voluntary program and I believe we need to have him evaluated quickly so we can make this determination quickly and decide if he’s going to stay in hospital for restoration or whether or not he’s truly competent and just treating this as a voluntary.”
Smith argued that forcing him to appear could be harmful and insisted on handling his court appearances on a case-by-case basis. The judge agreed.
“At whatever point the court determines I have to have him in the courtroom and he’s not compliant, then I will issue the necessary order,” Judge Wayne Wooten said.
In 2022, Bojeh stood trial for attempted murder, accused of shooting at a person and random vehicles at a Kissimmee gas station. He was acquitted by reason of insanity and was barred from owning a gun.
After the shooting, News 6 spoke to community members who questioned whether it was avoidable.
“To think there is a school right behind this and someone who had been acquitted because they were insane was living in my neighborhood, I don’t understand how the justice system lets that happen,” neighbor Debora Knight said.
Bojeh will have a competency status hearing at 9 a.m. on April 20.