At least 12 people, including six children, were injured in a shooting on Saturday night near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, turning a homecoming celebration into a night of panic and grief. Police say 11 of the victims suffered gunshot wounds, at least three of them seriously, and no arrests had been made by early Sunday.
What happened near Bragg Memorial Stadium
The gunfire broke out shortly before 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, close to Bragg Memorial Stadium, according to police and local reports. Earlier in the evening, Florida A&M's Rattlers had hosted the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions for the university's annual homecoming game, and crowds were still gathered in the area.
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters at a late-night press conference that a physical altercation between individuals preceded the shooting. "Our preliminary information shows that an altercation occurred between individuals," he said, describing it as "an isolated incident between two or three individuals." Police believe one shooter was involved, but no one had been taken into custody.
Children among the victims
Six of the injured were under 18, and the youngest was 11 years old, Chief Revell said. At least three victims sustained serious injuries, including one person in critical condition, while the others were reported stable. A 12th person was hurt while fleeing the scene, and one of the victims was a student at the university, according to local reports.
"I stand before you tonight devastated," Revell told reporters. "No family should have to experience this kind of violence, this kind of fear, this kind of heartbreak." He urged witnesses to come forward, saying: "Our priority is to determine what happened and why it happened, and to bring the people that are responsible for this to justice."
Campus response and the investigation
Florida A&M University issued a statement on social media asking members of its campus community to stay away from the area, while stressing that the campus itself remained safe. "Our hearts are with the victims and everyone affected by tonight's incident on Perry Street," the university said. Florida State University, about a mile away, issued an emergency alert and said it did not appear anyone from its school community was involved.
Detectives are now working to identify those responsible and establish what triggered the confrontation. No motive had been publicly confirmed, and police had not said whether the shooting was connected to the homecoming gathering or was a separate dispute that unfolded nearby. No deaths had been reported in the initial accounts.
Takeaway: A joyful homecoming night in Tallahassee ended with 12 people hurt, half of them children, and a community demanding answers. As the investigation continues, the focus is on the victims' recovery and on finding whoever pulled the trigger.
Watch: Breaking coverage of the shooting near Florida A&M University's stadium on homecoming night
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Hitman (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: NDTV, The Hindu, The Times of India