A night of homecoming celebrations at Florida A&M University turned into chaos Saturday when gunfire erupted near the school’s football stadium, leaving 11 people wounded, including six children, and sending terrified crowds scrambling for safety.
The shooting happened shortly before 8 p.m. on October 24 near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets in Tallahassee, just steps from Florida A&M University’s Bragg Memorial Stadium.
According to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell, 11 people suffered gunshot wounds, while a 12th person was injured while trying to escape the violence.
Among those struck by gunfire were six children, including an 11-year-old, making the incident especially alarming for families who had gathered in the area.
Police said one victim remained in critical condition early Sunday, October 25, while three others were seriously injured. The remaining eight injured people were reported to be in stable condition.
At least one of the gunshot victims is believed to be a Florida A&M student.
The violence unfolded hours after the university’s football team faced the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff during its homecoming game, one of the biggest events on the school’s annual calendar.
The Golden Lions defeated the Florida A&M Rattlers 31-28, but the evening’s celebrations were overshadowed when shots rang out in the crowded neighborhood surrounding the stadium.
Investigators believe the shooting may have started with a confrontation involving two or three people.
Revell said preliminary information suggests a physical altercation occurred shortly before someone opened fire, striking multiple people nearby.
However, authorities have not established what caused the disagreement or whether it was connected to the football game.
The gunfire triggered an immediate emergency response.
Approximately two dozen Tallahassee police officers were already in the area because of the homecoming festivities, allowing them to reach the scene quickly.
According to Revell, officers rushed into the dangerous situation before the area was fully secured, carrying wounded victims to safety and transporting some to hospitals.
The police chief praised their actions, saying the officers put their own lives at risk to help people who had been injured.
Emergency personnel continued treating victims as investigators secured the surrounding streets and began collecting evidence.
One of those hurt while fleeing was reportedly the grandmother of a shooting victim. She was not struck by gunfire but suffered injuries amid the confusion.
The large number of young victims has shaken the Tallahassee community.
During an emotional news conference shortly after midnight Sunday, Revell struggled to describe the impact of the violence.
“I stand before you devastated,” he told reporters.
The police chief emphasized that children should never have to experience such violence, particularly during an event intended to bring families and students together.
Florida A&M University also issued an emergency alert urging people near the stadium to avoid the area or shelter in place while police responded.
University officials later reassured students and employees that the campus remained safe, explaining that the shooting occurred near the university rather than inside the stadium.
The distinction is important because investigators have not established that the victims were attending a university-sponsored event when the shooting occurred.
Florida A&M, one of the nation’s most prominent historically Black universities, draws large crowds to Tallahassee during homecoming weekend.
The annual celebrations include football, alumni reunions, concerts and gatherings that attract former students, local residents and visiting families.
Saturday’s shooting has cast a shadow over those festivities, leaving university officials and community leaders focused on the victims and their loved ones.
As of Sunday morning, police had not announced any arrests or publicly identified a suspect.
Revell said investigators believe the violence was an isolated incident, but detectives are still working to determine who fired the shots and whether more than one person was involved.
The Tallahassee Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation and reviewing evidence gathered from the scene.
Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the people involved to come forward.
Tips can be provided to the Tallahassee Police Department at 850-891-4200. Anonymous information can also be submitted through Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.
For the families of the injured, what began as a Saturday evening of football and homecoming excitement has become a frightening wait for news about their loved ones.
With several victims seriously hurt and the person responsible still unidentified, investigators are working to understand how a reported disagreement escalated into gunfire that injured so many people, including children as young as 11.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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