Tallahassee police arrested a 15-year-old after a shooting near Florida A&M’s stadium left 12 injured, including six children, with the teen charged in the gunfire that followed a dispute.
Gunfire erupted around 8 p.m. ET Saturday near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, close to Florida A&M University’s Bragg Memorial Stadium. Eleven people suffered gunshot wounds. One person hurt an ankle while trying to flee.
Six of the injured were juveniles. The youngest victim was 11 years old. Detectives believe the shots grew out of a dispute between people who knew each other, and none of the 12 victims appear to have been the intended targets.
Fox News reported that Tallahassee officers moved in fast, giving immediate medical aid even before they fully secured the scene. A substantial wave of tips and digital evidence from the public followed in the hours after the gunfire.
On Sunday night, police arrested the 15-year-old suspect. The teen faces 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and a charge of possession of a firearm by a delinquent. Officials said the full extent of the teen’s role is still under review, and more arrests remain possible.
At least five victims had been released from the hospital by Sunday night. Six others stayed hospitalized, including one listed in critical condition, according to a video update from Police Chief Lawrence Revell.
Revell addressed the arrest in a Monday morning statement.
"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,"
He continued:
"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."
The day before the arrest, Revell had already pressed the public for help. He said police would determine what happened, identify those responsible, and get answers for every victim and family hit by the violence.
"We know there are people who saw something, heard something or may have video that could help us piece together exactly what happened."
Revell added that the department needs the community’s help and that no detail is too small. Anyone with information can call the tip line at 850-891-4610 or upload photos and video through the department’s online portal.
Officers processed the scene near the stadium after the altercation turned into gunfire. Police credit community tips for helping move the case forward so quickly. The investigation remains active.
Authorities have not released the suspect’s name. They have not said how many people fired weapons or named every person involved in the dispute that came first. Charging documents and case numbers have not been made public in the available reporting.
What is clear is the human cost on a Saturday night in Tallahassee: a dozen people hurt, half of them children, after a fight among acquaintances ended with bullets flying near a university football stadium. Police answered with an arrest inside 24 hours and charges that treat the shooting as the serious crime it was.
When juveniles carry guns and neighborhood disputes become mass-casualty scenes, victims and their families pay first. Holding the people responsible to account is the only answer that protects the next crowd.
