15-Year-Old Arrested After 12 People Are Injured in Florida Homecoming Shooting as Police Investigate What Sparked the Violence

A night of celebration surrounding Florida A&M University’s homecoming weekend turned into chaos after gunfire erupted near the school’s football stadium, leaving 12 people injured, including six children.

The shooting happened shortly before 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets in Tallahassee, Florida, just outside Bragg Memorial Stadium. A homecoming football game had taken place at the stadium earlier that evening, drawing crowds into the surrounding area.

According to the Tallahassee Police Department, 11 people suffered gunshot wounds, while another person injured an ankle while trying to escape the gunfire. The injured included six minors, with the youngest victim just 11 years old. At least one of those wounded was a Florida A&M University student.

Police initially reported that several victims had serious injuries, including one person who was in critical condition. Six people were still hospitalized the following morning, while five had been released. No deaths were reported.

The violence prompted an emergency response as officers and medical personnel rushed to the scene. Police Chief Lawrence Revell said officers helped carry injured victims through the crowded area and get them to ambulances.

Investigators later revealed that a physical altercation had broken out before the shots were fired. Authorities believe the dispute involved people who knew one another, rather than a random attack on the crowd.

Police also said that none of the people who were shot appeared to have been the intended targets. Investigators were working to establish exactly what triggered the confrontation and whether anyone else was involved.

A major development came on October 26, when police announced the arrest of 15-year-old Anthony Rivers III in connection with the shooting.

Rivers faces 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a delinquent. Prosecutors have indicated that he will be prosecuted as an adult because of the seriousness of the allegations.

Authorities have not ruled out additional arrests. The investigation remains active as detectives review digital evidence, examine witness accounts and work to reconstruct what happened before the gunfire erupted.

The shooting sent shockwaves through the Florida A&M community, particularly because children were among those caught in the violence.

University President Marva Johnson condemned the incident, describing it as senseless and expressing support for the victims and their families. She emphasized that although the shooting happened off campus, the university would stand alongside those affected.

The university also made counseling and other support available to students as they returned to classes. Officials stressed that the incident occurred outside university property and that the Tallahassee Police Department was leading the criminal investigation.

Police Chief Revell urged anyone who witnessed the shooting or had photographs, videos or other information to contact investigators. Authorities believe evidence from people in the crowded area could help clarify how the confrontation escalated into a mass shooting.

What should have been a weekend celebrating school pride and community spirit instead left families waiting for news about injured loved ones. With a teenage suspect facing multiple attempted-murder charges and investigators still examining the circumstances, many questions surrounding the shooting remain unanswered.

The allegations against Rivers have not been proven in court, and the investigation is ongoing.

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