Shooting Near Florida A&M Homecoming Game Leaves 12 Injured in Tallahassee

Twelve people were injured in a shooting near the football stadium at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee on Saturday night, during the school’s homecoming weekend, according to CBS News and NBC News. Police said six of the injured are under 18, and no arrests have been made.

Tallahassee police said three of the victims have serious injuries. CBS News reported that the other nine are in stable condition. NBC News reported that 11 of the 12 people were shot, and that police said the others had been stabilized.

What happened near Bragg Memorial Stadium

The violence began at about 8 p.m. at an intersection next to Bragg Memorial Stadium, NBC News reported, citing the police department. Earlier in the evening, Florida A&M’s Rattlers had hosted the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in the annual homecoming game of the historically Black university.

According to CBS News, the shooting followed the game and took place in a crowded area. Police said early findings indicate that a physical fight broke out before the gunfire. They have not said who was involved in the fight or who fired.

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters that no one had been arrested. He said the department’s thoughts were with the victims and their families, and he called it especially heartbreaking that children were among the wounded. Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward, and the investigation is ongoing.

What the schools told their communities

Florida A&M said on social media that the shooting took place near campus and that the campus itself remained safe. According to NBC News, the university asked members of its community to stay away from the area. It said its hearts were with the victims and everyone affected by the incident on Perry Street.

Florida State University, which is about a mile from Florida A&M, sent an emergency alert about the violence. It said no one from its school community appeared to be involved. As a precaution, it advised students, faculty and staff in the Tallahassee area to stay indoors for the evening and remain alert.

Why it matters

Homecoming is one of the biggest events of the year at historically Black colleges and universities, drawing students, alumni, families and local residents to campus and to the surrounding streets. Saturday’s shooting hit a crowd that included children, and half of those hurt are minors, which is why the case has drawn immediate attention in Tallahassee.

For residents of the area, the practical effects were immediate: a warning to avoid the neighborhood around the stadium and a precautionary advisory at a nearby university. Police have not said whether additional restrictions or changes to security at upcoming campus events are planned.

What is still unknown

Police have not identified a suspect or a motive, and they have not released the names or the ages of the victims beyond saying that six are under 18. The condition of the three seriously hurt victims was described only as serious. CBS News described its report as a developing story, and details such as the number of people shot or the cause of the fight could be updated as the investigation continues.

People with information about what happened near Bragg Memorial Stadium have been asked by the Tallahassee Police Department to contact investigators.

Around Prague, based on reporting by CBS News, NBC News, ABC News