Two Dead, Five Injured in Shooting at Florida State University Campus
- Victor Nwoko
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
At least two people were killed and five others injured following a shooting incident at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee on Thursday, according to law enforcement authorities.
The two deceased victims were not students of the university. Authorities confirmed that the suspect is a current FSU student who was shot during the response and taken into custody. He is currently hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident occurred near the FSU Student Union, prompting an emergency alert advising students and faculty to shelter in place. Tallahassee police later confirmed that the campus had been secured.
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare reported receiving six patients, all in fair condition.
One student, sophomore Paula Maldonado, was in a classroom near the Student Union when the situation unfolded. She recounted hearing yelling outside before the active threat alarm sounded. “Everyone in my class quickly turned off the lights, put desks to block off the door, and hid by the front of the classroom,” she said. “We were quiet and some were whispering. Some were also crying and helping each other. A student next to me told me to put my backpack in front of me to protect myself.”
Maldonado also described a frightening moment when law enforcement entered the classroom. “A cop came inside and I thought it was the shooter, so it was very scary. But after a couple of minutes, another cop came back in and told us to go outside with our hands up.”
Another student, Daniella Streety, was in a building across from the Student Union when the alert sirens went off. She witnessed people rushing into her building for safety as law enforcement quickly moved in and students fled the area.
Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the 2018 Parkland high school shooting, noted that some of Jaime’s former classmates now attend FSU and were present during the incident. “Incredibly, some of them were just a part of their second school shooting and some were in the Student Union today,” he shared on social media. “As a father, all I ever wanted after the Parkland shooting was to help our children be safe. Sadly, because of the many people who refuse to do the right things about reducing gun violence, I am not surprised by what happened today.”
The university has canceled classes through Friday. Leon County public schools were also placed on lockout as a precautionary measure.
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the shooting, and officials at both state and federal levels have expressed condolences to the victims and their families.
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