Staff Reports
A late‑night shooting near Bragg Memorial Stadium during Florida A&M University’s homecoming left at least a dozen people hurt, police said. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell held a briefing that gave a grim tally, blamed an earlier fight and warned the community the case is active — but offered few answers and no arrests yet.
Police update: what we know about the Tallahassee shooting
At the press conference, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said preliminary work points to an altercation before the gunfire and called the episode an “isolated incident between two or three individuals.” The department’s Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation and officers are asking anyone with video or tips to come forward. So far, no arrests have been announced, which means families are waiting for answers while the clock keeps ticking.
Investigation details and public appeal
Police say investigators are gathering surveillance and phone video and chasing leads. The TPD asked the public to call its tip line or Crime Solvers with information. That outreach is standard. The real test will be whether the department turns tips into suspects and arrests before the story fades from national headlines.
Who was hurt and where it happened
The shooting happened near the intersection of Perry Street and Manatee Street just outside Bragg Memorial Stadium after the homecoming game. Officials reported 12 people injured — 11 with gunshot wounds and one hurt while fleeing — and said six of the wounded were minors, the youngest reported to be 11 years old. First responders had to carry victims through a dense crowd, a reminder of how chaos and big events make emergency response harder.
Why officials’ words shouldn’t be the end of the story
Calling this an “isolated incident” is not the same as solving it. Say what you will about crime patterns, but when children are among the wounded on a packed street during a university event, the community deserves swift arrests and clear answers. Florida A&M University President Marva B. Johnson and Mayor John E. Dailey offered condolences — appropriate, but not enough. We need action: fast, visible police work; better crowd safety plans at big events; and accountability for anyone who brought guns into a celebration. Vague reassurances and press conferences are not a substitute for arrests, convictions and real public safety.
What must happen next
Families and alumni deserve facts. The Tallahassee Police Department must push the Violent Crimes Unit to turn leads into names and names into arrests. The community should hand over every video or tip it has. Florida A&M and city leaders must review how big events are policed and how crowds are kept safe. Until the guns are taken out of the hands of the people who used them and justice is served, homecoming — and the idea of safe public life — will feel fragile. Call the tip line, send footage, and don’t let this be another news cycle that dies before justice does.
