Police say a fight broke out near Florida A&M’s stadium after homecoming, then gunfire left 11 people shot, the youngest just 11 years old
A homecoming turned into horror.
Eleven people were shot near Florida A&M University’s football stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday night, including six children. Twelve people were injured in total, according to the Tallahassee Police Department.
Eleven suffered gunshot wounds, while a grandmother was injured while fleeing the scene. As of Sunday, five victims had been released from the hospital, while six remained hospitalized. One of those still receiving treatment was in critical condition.
The shooting happened just before 8 PM on October 24 near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, close to Bragg Memorial Stadium. It came hours after Florida A&M’s homecoming game, which Arkansas–Pine Bluff won 31-28, as crowds gathered in the area.
Police are still piecing together what led to the shooting
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said preliminary findings suggest a physical altercation occurred before the shooting. Investigators believe it was an “isolated incident between two or three individuals and nothing more than that,” Revell said.
In its official statement, the Tallahassee Police Department said detectives were working to “determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible.” No arrests have been made, and authorities have not confirmed a motive or whether the altercation was connected to the football game or homecoming celebrations.
At least one of the victims is a Florida A&M student, according to Revell. The university confirmed that the shooting happened near its campus and said the campus itself remained safe. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey called the shooting a “truly horrific and heartbreaking tragedy.”
Children were among the victims, with one still critical
Six of the 12 people injured were juveniles, police said. The youngest person shot was just 11 years old. Revell expressed concern for the victims and their families during a press conference following the shooting, saying, “I stand before you tonight devastated.”
The police chief acknowledged the toll on younger victims, saying, “It is especially heartbreaking to know that children are among those injured.” The department also said officers helped carry victims to safety and transport them to the hospital before the scene was fully secure.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information that could help investigators is encouraged to contact the Tallahassee Police Department at 850-891-4200 or Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS. Police have previously sought the public’s help identifying suspects after other shootings at crowded events, including the Toledo festival shooting in June, where 12 people were injured.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
