A tragic shooting unfolded at Florida State University on Thursday, leaving two people dead and six others injured, as reported by law enforcement. The shooter has been identified as a 20-year-old student and the son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy. It’s important to note that the victims who lost their lives were not students.
The chaos began near the student union building just before noon, with gunfire ringing out. Officers shot the suspect after he failed to comply with their commands. Sheriff Walter McNeil revealed that the suspect had accessed a firearm that belonged to his mother.
- Gunshots were reported around 11:45 a.m., leading the university to issue a shelter-in-place alert.
- The alert was lifted at 3:20 p.m., but several buildings remained designated as active crime scenes.
- Students and faculty were placed on lockdown.
Professor Chris Coutts, who sheltered in place, remarked:
“This is the second shooting incident that’s happened since I’ve been here,” referring to the library shooting in 2014. - Officers evacuated academic buildings shortly after the alert was issued.
- Local and state police escorted students from buildings near the student union.
- The FBI in Jacksonville confirmed they were providing assistance.
- Governor Ron DeSantis shared on social media that state law enforcement was responding to the situation.
- The university canceled all classes, events, and operations for the rest of the week, including athletic events through the weekend. The last day of classes was set for the following Friday.