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FSU Shooting: Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus descended into chaos on Thursday afternoon following reports of an active shooter. An emergency alert from the university urged people to shelter in place, stating, “An active shooter has been reported in the area of Student Union. Police are on the scene or on the way. Continue to seek shelter and await further instructions. Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measures.”
Sirens echoed through downtown Tallahassee as law enforcement from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Marshals, responded.
Six Injured, One Critical in FSU Shooting: Hospital Mobilizes Emergency Services
As the situation unfolded, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) confirmed that six patients had been received — one in critical condition and the others in serious condition.
Stephanie Derzypolski, spokesperson for TMH, emphasized that the hospital had fully mobilized emergency resources and said, “We want to assure the community that our teams are fully mobilized and prepared to provide the highest level of care and support to all those affected.”
TMH operates the only Level II trauma center in the Big Bend region, capable of handling major trauma cases 24/7.
First-Person Accounts of FSU Shooting: ‘We Walked Out With Our Hands Up’
Students caught in the turmoil while speaking to the Tallahassee Democrat described moments of terror and confusion. Rafael Fernandez, an FSU sophomore, was in class in the Rovetta Building when an alarm sounded and a shelter-in-place alert flashed across the screen.
“We walked out with our hands up, and we were escorted out of the building into a clear area, a safe zone,” he said to the Tallahassee Democrat, after Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) officers arrived and cleared the classroom.
In a nearby building, FSU junior Angel Dejesus was preparing for a final exam in the College of Business when a teacher ran down the hallway warning of the shooter.
“He was like, ‘Man, I never thought this would happen again,’” said Dejesus, referring to a fellow student and Parkland shooting survivor who had joined the class to take shelter. “That’s when it got much more serious.”
Eyewitness Describes Hearing Gunshots and Seeing Injured Students
Senior student Will Schatz was in Strozier Library around noon when panic broke out.
“I could have sworn I saw a cop running after somebody and screaming something when we ran out,” he said to the to the Tallahassee Democrat.
“Then when I got out, I heard seven to eight gunshots. I’m not sure if that was the shooter shooting or if the cops shot the shooter.”
Schatz said he later witnessed four students being loaded into ambulances.
At 1:05 p.m., a Tallahassee Police Department spokesperson confirmed one person had been taken into custody. While no deaths were reported, authorities confirmed there were “multiple injuries.”
FSU Lockdown: Ongoing Shelter-in-Place Orders
By 12:45 p.m., FSU officials had reiterated their shelter-in-place order. The alerts.fsu.edu website stated, “Continue to shelter in place. Police have responded to an active shooter call at the Student Union. Stay alert for more information.”
The Bellamy Building was placed under lockdown, with reports of law enforcement evacuating people floor by floor. Multiple individuals inside the building reported hearing gunfire, including what was described as semi-automatic bursts.
By early afternoon, U.S. Marshals carrying what appeared to be automatic weapons were seen dispersing crowds near the West Call and Dewey streets area, instructing students to clear the path for ongoing evacuations.
“So many people in that building right now, so many to get out,” one marshal was overheard saying.
Meanwhile, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office deployed a helicopter to assist with aerial surveillance of the campus.
City-Wide Response: Local Schools Locked Down, Public High Schools Dismiss Early
In response to the campus emergency, all Leon County schools were placed on lockdown as of 12:15 p.m., confirmed by district spokesperson Chris Petley. Shortly thereafter, public high schools in the county began early dismissals.
A media staging area was established at the Turnbull Center on Pensacola Street, where officials planned to deliver a public briefing by mid-afternoon.
Tallahassee Police spokesperson Alicia Turner urged everyone on campus to continue following safety directives from university officials.
Also Read: Active Shooter At Florida State University’s Student Union: What We Know So Far
