Eleven people were shot — six of them juveniles, the youngest just 11 years old — in a burst of gunfire near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, hours after the school's homecoming football game, and police say no one has been arrested.
The shooting broke out just before 8 p.m. near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, in a crowded area outside the stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, the Tallahassee Police Department said. A twelfth victim, the grandmother of one of those shot, was injured while fleeing the scene.
One victim was in critical condition, two others were seriously injured and eight were listed in stable condition, police said. One of the victims is a student at Florida A&M University.
"I stand before you tonight devastated"
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters at a late-night news conference that a fight broke out before the shooting and that investigators believe it was an isolated incident involving two or three individuals.
"I stand before you tonight devastated," Revell said. "Tonight, our thoughts are with the victims and their families as they face the devastating impact of this violence. It is especially heartbreaking to know that children are among those injured."
Revell said officers carried victims in their arms to safety because they could not get through the mass of people, and he urged the crowds to disperse so first responders could reach the wounded.
"We hurt with you, and we will continue to get you the answers you so desperately want," he told the victims' families.
The department's Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation. Police asked anyone who saw anything to call the Tallahassee Police Department at 850-891-4200 or Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.
A homecoming celebration turned to chaos
The shooting came just hours after a homecoming football game at Bragg Memorial Stadium, where the Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions beat the Florida A&M Rattlers 31-28. It is not clear whether the shooting was connected to the game.
Florida A&M University said in a statement late Saturday that it was aware of an incident near campus on Perry Street and that the Tallahassee Police Department was on the scene and actively investigating.
"Our hearts go out to the victims and all those affected by this tragic incident. While the campus remains safe, individuals are encouraged to avoid the area to allow law enforcement to conduct its investigation," the university said.
The shooting is the latest mass shooting to strike a US college community, and it comes amid a national debate over gun violence that has intensified after a string of campus shootings in recent years. Police have not released the names of the victims or any description of suspects.