The Florida State University (FSU) grounds got disrupted just after 12:00 PM local time, as an active gunman started shooting within the Student Union area. The attack shocked the Tallahassee community as many were injured, and an instant lockdown of the entire campus followed.
Around noon, FSU’s emergency alert system sounded through phones and speakers, directing students and professors to shelter in place. “Stay inside. Lock doors. Avoid windows,” the alert stated. The alert followed as the police and first responders sped to the location, close to one of the most active centers of the university.
Campus went into full lockdown within minutes. Students were taking cover under desks in the library. Others had barricaded themselves in bathrooms or behind equipment in the bowling alley. Social media sites were flooded with nervous updates from those who were stuck in the buildings, texting loved ones as they waited to hear what happened next.
The authorities confirmed that several individuals were injured in the attack. The number is still unknown, as early reports ranged from four to six victims. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, the city’s main trauma hospital, treated several patients—a minimum of one who is in critical condition and a number of them with severe injuries.
Names and ages haven’t been released by hospital officials, who cite treatment and privacy reasons.
“We’re doing everything in our power to treat the victims,”
a hospital spokesperson stated.
“Our sympathy is with the FSU community.”
The reaction was swift and massive. In addition to local law enforcement and the paramedics, the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) were present, sweeping the buildings of the campus. Officers identified themselves using the password “SEMINOLE” as they knocked door to door, assuring terrified students that rescue had been sent.
Amidst the streets around FSU, police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks dominated the scene. Officers accompanied students in groups from learning centers and public areas, calling for calm and leading them to a safe distance. Several hours passed before buildings were cleared one by one.
All classes at the university and all events were canceled for the day, including a highly expected FSU baseball game against the University of Virginia. The emotional strain of the day was evident. Faculty, staff, and students hugged each other as they emerged from lockdown. Some held onto each other, tears streaming down their faces. Others sobbed openly on the shoulders of their loved ones.
“I was grabbing lunch when we started hearing people running,”
stated Natalie Cruz, a second-year student who had sought refuge in a vending machine building.
“We didn’t know if it was actually happening or a drill until people were slamming the doors and the people started screaming,”
Mirroring accounts happened all over the campus. It was a day that they would recall forever for many.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis released a statement to send prayers and best wishes to those impacted:
“Our hearts are with the FSU family at this time. Local and federal agencies are working closely with us to secure the safety of all students and faculty members.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi also recognized the federal involvement, stating that the FBI and the Justice Department were fully involved in assisting the active probe.
as of Thursday afternoon, a single suspect had been arrested. Information regarding the identity of the person is yet to be made public, as is the potential motive.
The incident is treated by the police as an active case, and subsequent updates will appear as the witnesses are interviewed and the evidence is processed.
The tragedy occurs just a few weeks after Florida lawmakers repealed a massive gun control bill that had been proposed in the wake of the 2018 Parkland school shooting. On March 26, 2025, the state legally lowered the age one must be to purchase a weapon from 21 to 18, despite legal challenges and public warning of its impact on security.
The event contributes to an alarming trend of violence with firearms that has been occurring at colleges throughout the US. A 2023 study in the Journal of American College Health reported more than 150 campus shootings in US colleges from 2013 to 2019—most connected with mental health issues and the easy availability of weapons.
