15-Year-Old Faces 11 Attempted Murder Charges After Florida Shooting

Tallahassee police have charged a 15-year-old boy with 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder following a mass shooting at a college homecoming party on Saturday. The suspect, identified as Anthony Rivers III, was arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident near the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University campus.

The shooting injured 12 people, consisting of six adults and six minors. Eleven of the victims sustained gunshot wounds. The department reported that three were seriously wounded, with one patient remaining in critical condition. A 12th person injured an ankle while attempting to flee the scene.

Police noted that the suspect was a minor, a status that typically shields identity, but they made an exception due to the severity of the charges. In addition to the 11 attempted murder counts, Rivers faces one charge for possession of a firearm by a delinquent. Chief Lawrence Revell stated that the investigation is ongoing and that further arrests are possible.

According to the Tallahassee police department, the gunfire began just before 8 p.m. Saturday at an intersection near the university’s Bragg stadium. The location had just hosted a homecoming football game. Revell said officers arrived quickly and carried some injured individuals to safety through the crowd.

Police determined that Rivers opened fire following an altercation between two groups of people who knew each other. No victim was believed to be an intended target. Revell thanked community members for providing cellphone video of the shooting, which he described as vital to the investigation.

The incident was one of five mass shootings recorded across the United States over the weekend. The Gun Violence Archive defines these cases as incidents where at least four victims are wounded or killed. The nonpartisan group has logged 386 such cases in the US for the year so far.

Famu president Marva Johnson posted a video message on social media on Sunday. She condemned the violence and stated that the university is providing full assistance to the police department. Johnson said the community’s response to the challenge would define its future.