TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A 15-year-old in Tallahassee is facing 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder in connection with a mass shooting that injured 12 people, including six minors, near Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee on homecoming weekend for Florida A&M University.
Eleven people were shot, and one person suffered an ankle injury while fleeing the gunfire.
Recommended Videos
The shooting happened around 8 p.m. near Perry and Manatee streets, behind the stadium, amid crowds leaving a homecoming celebration.
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said six of the victims were minors, including an 11-year-old. At least three victims suffered serious injuries, according to police.
By Sunday morning, five people had been released from the hospital, and six remained hospitalized; one of those still hospitalized was in critical condition. No deaths were reported.
Police said the preliminary investigation indicates that a fight broke out before the shooting among people who knew each other. The area was crowded with people leaving the football celebration.
Video surfaced on social media of people fleeing the scene in terror. At this stage of the investigation, none of the victims appear to have been the intended targets, police said.
“What should have been a weekend of celebration in our community instead became a night of fear and violence for the victims and their families,” Revell said. “While this arrest marks a significant step forward, our work is far from over. We remain committed to holding those responsible accountable and getting answers for every family impacted by this tragedy.”
TPD said officers rushed to render aid to victims before the scene was fully secured, then began their investigation.
TPD said tips and video sent in by members of the community were vital to identifying the suspected shooter.
Additional arrests are possible, police said.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact TPD’s dedicated tip line at 850-891-4610. Individuals with photos, videos or other digital evidence can also submit information through the department’s online evidence submission portal.
A woman who was selling historically Black college and university apparel during homecoming told CNN affiliate WCTV that she heard the gunshots and saw people frightened. Another witness told the station he had just left campus and was worried about his daughter, who was in the area.
Florida A&M said the shooting happened near campus and that the university remained safe. Homecoming events had taken place throughout the week and were scheduled to conclude Sunday at the historically Black university, which has nearly 10,000 students.
University President Marva Johnson said the school had reached out to injured members of the FAMU community to offer support. She urged anyone with information to contact the police. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey called the shooting “a truly horrific and heartbreaking tragedy” and said the community stood with the university.