Full Breakdown
Shooting After FAMU Homecoming Leaves 12 Injured; 15-Year-Old Arrested
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
Florida A&M University held its homecoming football game on the evening of Oct. 24, 2026. The Rattlers lost 31-28 to Arkansas-Pine Bluff. After the game, a physical altercation erupted at the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets. The incident follows a mass-shooting on the FAMU campus in April 2025, heightening safety concerns at large gatherings.
Shooting Details and Immediate Response
Police responded to gunfire near the stadium shortly after 8 p.m. Officers entered the crowded area, carried victims to safety, and secured the scene while ambulances arrived. The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) announced that 15-year-old Anthony Rivers III was arrested on Oct. 25 and charged with 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of firearm possession by a delinquent. TPD chief Lawrence Revell said detectives believe the shooting stemmed from the earlier dispute and that none of the victims were intended targets. Additional arrests remain possible.
Data & Statistics
- Injured: 12 (11 shot, 1 ankle injury)
- Minors injured: 6 (youngest 11 years old)
- Gender split: 6 male, 6 female
- Hospital status (Oct. 25): Six remain hospitalized; one in critical condition, the others stable
Official Statements & Responses
TPD chief Revell praised officers who rendered aid before the scene was secured and urged the public to submit any cellphone video or tip to the department’s hotline.
FAMU President Marva Johnson condemned the “senseless and despicable” violence, affirmed campus safety, and pledged assistance to law-enforcement.
Mayor John Dailey called the incident “truly horrific and heartbreaking” and said the community stands with the university family.
State Attorney Jack Campbell noted that juvenile records limit comment on Rivers’ prior probation violation but confirmed the office is monitoring the case.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — Lawrence Revell, TPD chief
- “At this stage of the investigation, none of the victims appear to have been the intended targets.” — Lawrence Revell
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Early reports listed 11 injured; later updates recorded 12. No fatalities have been confirmed, and the precise cause of the initial altercation remains unverified. While some coverage linked Rivers to a September 2025 mall shooting, officials have not confirmed a direct connection.
What’s Next
Rivers is scheduled for arraignment in juvenile court, with the case to be tried as an adult in Leon County Circuit Court. A separate trial for the 2025 mall shooting is set for June 8, 2027. TPD continues to solicit community tips through its 850-891-4610 hotline and an online evidence-submission portal.