Teen Charged With Eleven Attempted Murder Counts After Florida Homecoming Shooting

Clear Facts

• A 15-year-old faces eleven counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of firearm possession by a delinquent after a Saturday night shooting near Florida A&M University left twelve people injured.
• Tallahassee police arrested Anthony Rivers III on Sunday and said the gunfire followed a personal dispute, with none of the victims appearing to be the intended targets.
• The shooting occurred near Bragg Memorial Stadium after the FAMU homecoming football game, leaving six minors wounded and prompting community leaders to call for safety during traditional events.

The arrest of a 15-year-old in connection with the shooting near Florida A&M University has raised new concerns about youth violence during community celebrations. Authorities say Anthony Rivers III opened fire into a crowd outside Bragg Memorial Stadium, striking eleven people and prompting a twelfth injury when someone twisted an ankle while fleeing.

Investigators believe the violence began as a dispute between individuals who knew one another. Police have not confirmed whether Rivers acted alone, and additional arrests remain possible as the investigation continues.

“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,”

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said in a statement. “While this arrest marks a significant step forward, our work is far from over.”

Public tips and digital evidence helped advance the case quickly. Officers who responded to the scene provided immediate medical assistance before the area was secured.

Videos shared on social media captured people running from the area as shots rang out. Local vendors who return each year for the homecoming festivities expressed uncertainty about future participation.

“You want to be able to be in community with your people, you want to be able to have the homecoming traditions, but you have to be safe,”

Stephanie Walters, operator of the HBCU Culture Shop, told WCTV. “I don’t want to have to be concerned that the next time I show up, I may not leave.”

University officials condemned the violence and stressed that the incident occurred near campus rather than on university grounds. Florida A&M President Marva Johnson announced that counseling services would be available for students affected by the shooting.

“Homecoming is about family,”

FAMU head football coach Quinn Gray wrote in a public statement. “No one should leave our celebration in an ambulance, and no child should ever be caught in gunfire.”

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