Tallahassee police arrested a 15-year-old after a shooting near Florida A&M’s football stadium left 12 people hurt, six of them children, in what detectives say grew out of a dispute.
Gunfire erupted around 8 p.m. ET on Saturday near Bragg Memorial Stadium, close to the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets in Tallahassee. Twelve people were hurt. Eleven suffered gunshot wounds. One person hurt an ankle while fleeing.
Six of the injured were juveniles. The youngest was just 11 years old. Fox News reported that officers gave immediate medical aid even before the scene was fully secured.
By Sunday night, Tallahassee police had a suspect in custody. The 15-year-old faces 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and a charge of possession of a firearm by a delinquent. Police said the full extent of the teen’s involvement is not yet clear, and the number of people who fired shots remains unclear. More arrests are possible.
Just the News reported the shooting hit during Florida A&M University’s homecoming weekend. What should have been a celebration became a night of gunfire and hospital runs for families across the city.
Police say a fight broke out before the shots. Detectives believe the dispute involved people who knew each other. None of the 12 injured appear to have been the intended targets. That means bystanders, including children, caught the consequences of someone else’s quarrel with a gun.
Chief of Police Lawrence Revell put the cost in plain terms on Monday morning.
"What should have been a weekend of celebration in our community instead became a night of fear and violence for the victims and their families,"
That is the bill communities pay when juveniles carry firearms into public spaces near a packed campus event.
As of Sunday night, at least five victims had been released from the hospital. Six remained hospitalized. One was in critical condition, according to a video update from Chief Revell posted to X.
Detectives, crime analysts, and victim advocates worked around the clock to process the scene and identify who was involved. Tips and digital evidence poured in within hours of the gunfire. Police credit that public help with moving the case forward to the Sunday night arrest.
Still, Revell made clear the case is not closed.
"While this arrest marks a significant step forward, our work is far from over. We remain committed to holding those responsible accountable and getting answers for every family impacted by this tragedy."
On Sunday he had already asked witnesses to step forward.
"We will determine what happened, identify those responsible, and get answers for all of the victims, their families and everyone impacted by this tragedy,"
He added that people who saw something, heard something, or have video can help piece the night together. The department’s tip line is 850-891-4610. Police also opened an online portal for photos and video.
"No detail is too small, and no piece of information should go unreported. If you know something, please share it with our detectives. Your information could be the key to holding those responsible accountable."
The suspect’s name has not been released. Absolute calendar dates were not listed beyond Saturday’s shooting, the Sunday night arrest, and Monday’s statement. Police have not said how many people fired weapons. They have not said who, if anyone, was the intended target. Charging paperwork and a full victim roster beyond the age and injury counts have not been made public in the available reporting.
What is clear is the pattern on the ground: a fight, a gun, a 15-year-old in custody, six children among the wounded, and one patient still critical as of the Sunday night update. Officers treated the injured first. Then they built a case fast enough to make an arrest within roughly a day.
Attempted second-degree murder charges on a juvenile, paired with a firearm possession count for a delinquent, show the seriousness of the case. Whether one shooter or more, the result was the same for the people near that stadium: 11 gunshot wounds and families waiting on hospital news during what was supposed to be homecoming.
When teenagers can get guns and settle disputes near a university football stadium, children end up in emergency rooms. Law and order starts with arrests like this one, and with finishing the job so every person who fired, or helped, faces real consequences.
