A shooting near Florida A&M University’s football stadium left 12 people injured, including six children, during homecoming festivities in Tallahassee on Saturday night, local authorities said.
The gunfire broke out shortly before 8 p.m. at the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, directly adjacent to Bragg Memorial Stadium, according to the Tallahassee Police Department. The violence occurred as crowds gathered and exited after the university’s annual homecoming football matchup between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, NBC News reported.
Multiple victims hospitalized
Police reported that 11 of the 12 victims suffered gunshot wounds. Among those shot, one person was listed in critical condition, while at least two others suffered serious injuries, according to police statements cited by Fox News. Officials noted that the remaining injured individuals were in stable condition. The New York Post reported that the 12th person, an older woman, suffered non-bullet injuries while attempting to flee the chaos.
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence E. Revell confirmed during a news briefing that half of the injured were juveniles, with the youngest being 11 years old. The remaining six victims were adults.
“Tonight, our thoughts are with the victims and their families as they face the devastating impact of this violence,” Revell said, according to Fox News. “It is especially heartbreaking to know that children are among those injured.”
Revell praised responding officers who entered the area before it was completely secured to transport injured bystanders to medical facilities. Witness accounts described widespread panic. Florida A&M student Jayden Dubois told local television station WCTV that a sudden burst of gunfire caused an immediate stampede, leaving at least one person trampled in the rush.
Altercation preceded the gunfire
Investigators said initial evidence points to an argument that flared up just prior to the shooting. Revell told reporters that law enforcement believes the shooting was an isolated dispute involving two or three individuals rather than a coordinated attack on the crowd, according to the New York Post.
Both Florida A&M University and nearby Florida State University issued security alerts following the incident. Florida A&M officials posted on social media that the shooting happened off-campus and that the main campus remained secure, though administrators urged students and visitors to steer clear of Perry Street to assist emergency crews.
Florida State University, located about one mile from the scene, issued a safety notice advising students, faculty and staff to stay indoors and remain cautious, noting that no members of its community appeared to be involved, NBC News reported.
Search for suspects continues
No arrests were announced as of early Sunday morning. The Tallahassee Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit has taken charge of the case as investigators examine evidence and conduct a search for the individuals involved. Authorities urged anyone who observed the confrontation or holds relevant video footage to contact law enforcement.
