11 shot near FAMU stadium after homecoming game in Tallahassee

Eleven people were shot, six of them children and teenagers, near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday night, October 24, 2026, hours after the university's homecoming football game, police said. A twelfth person, the grandmother of one victim, was hurt while running from the gunfire. One victim is in critical condition. Police believe an argument between a small number of people led to the shooting, and no one has been arrested.

The shooting happened at about 8 pm local time (5 am Sunday in Pakistan) at an intersection next to the stadium, on Perry Street near the FAMU campus, while homecoming crowds were still in the area.

What we know

Detail	Information
Date and time	Saturday, October 24, 2026, about 8 pm local time
Location	Near Bragg Memorial Stadium, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
People shot	11
Other injured	1 (hurt while fleeing)
Under-18 victims	6, youngest aged 11
Condition	1 critical, 3 serious, others stable
Arrests	None announced
Suspected trigger	Physical altercation between two or three people

Police said one of the victims is a FAMU student. Officers, detectives and forensic teams spent hours processing the scene overnight. The Tallahassee Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation.

Earlier in the evening, FAMU's Rattlers lost their homecoming game to the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 31-28. Police have not said whether the shooting was linked to the game or the crowds leaving it.

What officials said

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters late on Saturday that it was "especially heartbreaking" that children were among the injured. He said early findings showed a physical fight took place before shots were fired, called it an ongoing investigation and said police were committed to getting answers for the families. Police asked anyone who saw what happened, or has video, to come forward.

FAMU said its thoughts were with the victims and everyone affected, said the campus itself remained safe and asked people to stay away from the area so police could work. Florida State University, about a mile away, sent an emergency alert telling students and staff in the Tallahassee area to stay indoors as a precaution, and later said no one from its community appeared to be involved.

Background

Homecoming weekend is one of the biggest events of the year at FAMU, one of the best-known historically Black universities in the United States, drawing alumni, families and visitors from across the country. Tallahassee, Florida's state capital, has seen several high-profile shootings in recent years, including a mass shooting on the Florida State University campus in April 2025 in which two people were killed.

Shootings at or near large public gatherings, including sports events, parades and parties, have become a recurring part of gun violence in the United States, where firearms remain the leading cause of death for children and teenagers.

Why it matters

The high number of young victims will add pressure on city and university leaders over security at big events, especially on nights when large crowds leave a stadium at the same time. It also comes during the final days of a bitter midterm election campaign in which crime and gun policy are campaign issues.

What happens next

Detectives are reviewing video and interviewing witnesses to identify those who fired. Police are expected to update the victims' conditions and the investigation on Sunday. FAMU may also review security arrangements for the rest of its homecoming events.