Officers shot and killed a suspected gunman who they said opened fire at Florida State University’s Strozier Library about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, wounding three students and prompting an alert for students to take shelter.
Two of the shooting victims were taken to Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. One was in critical condition; the other was stable, the hospital said. The third victim was treated and released at the scene.
Tallahassee Police spokesman Dave Northway said officers opened fire after the gunman shot at them. During a morning news conference, police said the shootings took place inside and outside the library.
Senior Sarah Evans from Miami said she was inside the library and heard a male student say he had been shot. When she looked at him, he was on the ground with blood spreading on his pants leg.
Freshman Nikolai Hernandez said he was in his dorm room across from the library when he heard five or six rapid gunshots.
“It was a consecutive bop, bop, bop, bop, bop,” Hernandez said. “It makes me definitely a little bit nervous. I was supposed to be in the library. I had a paper to do and I got a little bit lazy and decided not to do it.”
Just after 4 a.m., a loud tone sounded across the campus followed by an announcement that the campus was “all clear.”
At the same time, authorities allowed hundreds of students who had been shepherded in a classroom building next to the library to return to their homes.
FSU President John Thrasher, who took office this month, said by phone he is in New York City and had no first-hand information.
He said he was making arrangements to hurry back to Tallahassee.
“The Florida State University community is extremely saddened by the shootings that took place early this morning at Strozier Library, in the very heart of campus, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those who have been affected,” Thrasher said in a statement on FSU’s Twitter page. “The three students who have been injured are our highest priority followed by the needs of our greater university community. We will do everything possible to assist with their recovery.”
Thrasher canceled classes Thursday for the entire campus, although the university itself would remain open.
Hours after the shooting, detectives could be seen inspecting the body of the suspected gunman, who was lying face down at the top of an access ramp just outside the library. A gray baseball cap lay near his head.