Eleven Shot, Six of Them Children, Near Florida A&M Stadium During Homecoming Weekend in Tallahassee

What happened

At least 11 people were shot, including six juveniles, near Bragg Memorial Stadium at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee on Saturday night, Oct. 24, 2026, during homecoming weekend, and a 12th person was injured while fleeing the gunfire, according to the Tallahassee Police Department, as reported by Newsweek. The youngest victim is 11 years old. Police Chief Lawrence Revell said one victim is in critical condition, three have serious injuries and the remainder are stable, and that one victim is a Florida A&M student; the grandmother of one victim was also hurt while running from the scene. The shooting broke out shortly before 8 p.m., shortly after the Florida A&M Rattlers lost 31 to 28 to the Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions in the homecoming football game. Police believe a physical altercation preceded the gunfire near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets. No arrests have been made. "We're still working the scene. Our detectives, our sergeants, our forensic personnel are all on scene and processing this as we go, taking in as much information as they can," Revell said, adding, "As our detectives work to determine exactly what happened and identify those responsible, we remain committed to getting answers for these families." About 24 police officers were already in the area because of homecoming crowds when the shots were fired, according to Revell. Both Florida A&M University and nearby Florida State University issued emergency safety alerts urging students and staff to shelter in place or avoid the area, and FAMU said the campus remained safe and that protecting students, faculty and staff was its priority. Witnesses described people fleeing as shots rang out; one student told local network WCTV that he heard gunfire, was knocked down by the crowd and saw a person lying on the ground.

Why it matters

The shooting struck at the center of one of the most visible weekends on a historically Black university's calendar, when homecoming draws students, alumni and visitors into a concentrated area around the stadium. The toll, with six of the 11 people shot being juveniles and the youngest an 11-year-old, has drawn attention to how gunfire at large public gatherings reaches bystanders far beyond any intended targets. The case now rests with the Tallahassee Police Department, which is leading the investigation into a mass shooting at a public state university with no one in custody, making the pace of arrests and identification of suspects a likely measure of official accountability in the days ahead. The response by two major universities, which issued shelter-in-place and avoid-the-area alerts within minutes, also illustrates how emergency protocols around campus events are being tested as large crowds and nearby disputes collide. For Florida officials and the university community, the incident adds to the record of mass shootings at or near public gatherings in the state, and the fact that roughly two dozen officers were already deployed in the area when the shots rang out raises questions police will face about whether even a heavy presence can deter or interrupt violence that begins as a personal altercation.

How it is being covered

According to ground.news, the story is being carried by 221 outlets, of which 139 have been rated, with coverage split 27 percent left, 44 percent center and 29 percent right, and 107 of the 139 rated outlets judged high or very high for factuality. Ground.news flags no blindspot in the coverage, meaning no major partisan segment is ignoring the story. International outlets, including Brazil's O Globo, have picked up the account of the wounded, framing it for readers abroad as violence at an American university celebration.

What to watch

The first marker is whether Tallahassee police announce any arrests or identify suspects, since Revell has committed the department to "getting answers for these families" and no one is currently in custody. Watch also for updates on the condition of the victim listed in critical condition and for confirmation of the ages and identities of the six juveniles, which authorities have not released. Officials may face questions about security planning for homecoming, given that about 24 officers were already assigned to the area when the shooting began, and any review of how the altercation near Perry and Manatee streets escalated could shape security at future large campus events. Finally, statements from Florida A&M, Florida State and state officials about campus safety measures, and any policy response from Florida lawmakers, will indicate whether the incident produces broader action or remains a local criminal investigation.

By the numbers

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