A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after 12 people were injured in a shooting near Florida A&M University’s football stadium in Tallahassee, police said.
Anthony Rivers III was detained on Sunday, 25 October, and faces 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and a charge of possessing a firearm as a delinquent, according to the Tallahassee Police Department.
Police arrest teenager over Tallahassee shooting
The gunfire broke out at about 8pm on Saturday, 24 October, near the junction of Perry and Manatee streets, close to FAMU’s Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Eleven people suffered gunshot wounds and another was injured in the ankle while fleeing, police said. The victims included six adults and six young people, with the youngest aged 11.
Five victims had been discharged from hospital by Sunday morning, while six remained in hospital, including one in a critical condition. No deaths had been reported.
Investigators said a physical fight took place before the shooting and believe it arose from a dispute between people who knew one another. At this stage, police said none of those injured appeared to have been the intended targets.
The shooting happened on the same evening as Florida A&M’s homecoming football match against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Police have not established any connection between the incident, the university or the game.
Lawrence Revell, Tallahassee’s police chief, said the arrest represented a significant development but warned that the investigation was continuing.
“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 said. “While this arrest marks a significant step forward, our work is far from over.”
Officers went to the aid of victims immediately after the shooting, before the scene had been fully secured. Detectives have since been reviewing evidence and examining photographs, videos and other information submitted by members of the public.
Police said further arrests remained possible. Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Tallahassee Police Department’s dedicated tip line on 850-891-4610.
