TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Eleven people were shot and a twelfth person was injured fleeing the scene Saturday night, October 24, near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium, shortly after the school's homecoming football game, Tallahassee police said.
The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, behind the stadium, as large crowds were leaving the game, according to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell, who briefed reporters late Saturday night.
Six of the injured are juveniles — the youngest just 11 years old — and six are adults, Revell said. Eleven suffered gunshot wounds; the twelfth victim, the grandmother of one of the victims, was injured while fleeing. One of the victims is a Florida A&M student, he said.
Three victims suffered serious injuries, including one person in critical condition, while eight others were reported stable, according to police. No deaths had been reported as of early Sunday.
"I stand before you tonight devastated," Revell said. "We hurt with you, and we will continue to get you the answers you so desperately want."
Preliminary information indicates an altercation occurred between individuals before the shooting, Revell said, and investigators believe it was "an isolated incident between two or three individuals and nothing more than that." No one had been arrested as of the late-night briefing, and police had not publicly identified any suspect.
Revell said the homecoming crowds were so dense that officers carried victims in their arms to get them to treatment because emergency vehicles could not get through. "Without hesitation they ran into the middle of this, still not knowing where the shooters were, still not knowing how many victims they had," he said of the responding officers.
Florida A&M issued a campus safety alert at about 8:40 p.m. urging people to avoid the area around Bragg Memorial Stadium and Perry Street or to shelter in place. In a statement late Saturday, the university said it was aware of the incident on Perry Street, that Tallahassee police were on scene investigating, and that "the campus remains safe," while encouraging people to avoid the area so law enforcement could work.
Florida State University, across town, advised its students, faculty and staff to remain indoors Saturday night as a precaution, saying there was no indication that members of its community were involved.
Tallahassee police are asking anyone who saw anything or has information about the shooting to call the department at 850-891-4200 or Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.
This is a developing story. NCN will update this article as officials release more information.
- National Correspondent Network
