FAMU Shooting Near Bragg Stadium, Tallahassee Police Investigate Perry Street Incident and the Florida Laws Involved

Police are investigating a shooting in the Perry Street area near Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida, after officers responded to the intersection of Perry Street and Manatee Street. The university issued a safety alert urging people nearby to avoid the area or shelter in place.

The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) had not confirmed the number of victims or the extent of their injuries in the information reported by local news outlets. A Tallahassee Democrat headline quoted an official saying there were victims, but the reports reviewed did not establish a confirmed victim count or a full account of anyone’s condition.

The shooting drew extra attention because FAMU was holding Homecoming events, including a football game at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 24. However, the reports do not establish that the shooting happened inside the stadium, that any victim was a FAMU student, or that it was connected to the game or a university event.

As of October 25, 2026, the reports reviewed did not identify a confirmed suspect, arrest, motive or criminal charge. The incident should not be called a mass shooting or a homicide without confirmation from authorities.

FAMU Shooting: Quick Facts

Detail	What is known
Location	Perry Street and Manatee Street, Tallahassee, Florida
Nearby landmark	Bragg Memorial Stadium and Florida A&M University
Incident	Shooting under investigation
Reported timing	One outlet described it as Friday evening, October 23; coverage continued October 24 and 25. The exact time was not confirmed
Investigating agency	Tallahassee Police Department
Victims	No confirmed count in the reports reviewed
Injuries	Number and severity not confirmed
FAMU response	Alert urged people to avoid the area or shelter in place
Homecoming connection	Occurred during Homecoming weekend; no connection to university events established
Suspect or arrest	None confirmed
Motive	Not established
Charges	None announced

Sources are listed at the end of this article.

What Happened Near FAMU?

Police responded to Perry Street and Manatee Street

TPD confirmed that officers were responding to a shooting at Perry Street and Manatee Street, according to local TV reporting. Another outlet reported that police were investigating a shooting on Perry Street and that the university had warned people about police activity near Bragg Memorial Stadium.

The reports point to the same general area, but the police information reviewed gives no complete timeline. Readers should separate the reported time of the incident from the dates articles were published or updated.

How many people were shot?

No confirmed victim count was established. Local reports said police had not confirmed how many people were hurt or how seriously. That leaves open how many people were shot, whether anyone has life-threatening injuries and whether anyone died. Those details need confirmation from police or a reliable follow-up report.

Were any FAMU students involved?

No reliable report reviewed confirmed that any victim was a FAMU student, employee, athlete or visitor. A shooting near campus is not automatically an on-campus incident, and it would be inaccurate to say students were targeted without official evidence.

Has police identified a suspect or made an arrest?

The sources reviewed did not confirm a suspect, an arrest or a charge. That does not mean investigators have made no progress, only that no verified public account exists. Descriptions circulating on social media should not be treated as proof that a particular person was involved.

What was the motive?

No motive was established. Investigators may look at witness accounts, physical evidence and surveillance video. An investigation alone does not show whether the shooting came from an argument, a dispute, an intentional attack or something else. Any claim about motive should come from an official source or verified evidence.

Why FAMU Issued a Safety Alert

FAMU issued an alert about police activity near Bragg Memorial Stadium and Perry Street, urging people in the area to avoid it or shelter in place. The alert was meant to keep the campus community away from an active police response. It does not show that the shooter was on university property, that university events were targeted or that students were involved.

FAMU runs an emergency-notification system that can send alerts by email, text, its alerts webpage, its app and social media. A general “open and operating normally” status on the university’s alerts page should not be mistaken for a detailed police account of this shooting. Anyone in the area should follow current instructions from police and official university channels.

Was the Shooting Connected to FAMU Homecoming?

FAMU’s official events calendar lists Homecoming activities from October 18 through October 24, with the football team scheduled to play Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Bragg Memorial Stadium on October 24. The shooting’s closeness to the stadium during Homecoming explains why so many students, alumni and visitors looked for updates.

Timing and proximity do not establish a connection, though. The sources did not confirm that the shooting happened during the game, involved people attending it or was tied to any Homecoming event.

Which Florida Laws Could Apply?

The criminal laws that could apply depend on what police establish: where a firearm was discharged, whether anyone was hurt, the conduct and intent of the person responsible, and any legal defense. These statutes may become relevant only if the evidence supports their elements. Listing them does not mean police have announced a charge.

1. Florida Statute § 790.15: Discharging a firearm in public

Section 790.15 addresses discharging a firearm in public places and on the right-of-way of paved public roads, and some situations involving firing from a vehicle. Knowingly discharging a firearm in a public place or on a paved public road can be a first-degree misdemeanor, subject to the statute’s exceptions, which include lawful defense of life or property and certain official duties. Because the full circumstances are not public, it is premature to say this statute was violated.

2. Florida Statute § 784.045: Aggravated battery

Section 784.045 defines aggravated battery to include certain batteries causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement, and battery involving a deadly weapon. If investigators establish that someone was intentionally or knowingly battered with a firearm, prosecutors could evaluate whether those elements are met. A police response to a reported shooting does not, alone, establish every element, and with no confirmed victim count or injury assessment, no particular offense should be treated as established.

3. Could attempted murder or homicide charges apply?

Those charges depend on facts not established in the reports. Florida’s murder statute, § 782.04, and the law on attempts could become relevant if evidence shows the required intent and conduct, or if a death is confirmed. Florida law also provides sentence enhancements in certain felonies involving firearms, but whether any enhancement could apply depends entirely on the charges and findings. An unexplained shooting should not automatically be called attempted murder, and the sources reviewed did not establish a death.

4. Weapons on school property

Florida also restricts firearms on certain school property under § 790.115. Whether that statute could apply here depends on exactly where the shooting happened and whether the location meets the statute’s definitions. The reports reviewed do not establish that the shooting occurred on university or school property, so this statute should not be assumed to apply.

Could the Clery Act Apply?

The federal Clery Act requires covered colleges and universities to keep security policies, disclose certain crime statistics and issue timely warnings about certain crimes when legal criteria are met. The rule, 34 C.F.R. § 668.46, defines Clery geography to include campus property, qualifying noncampus property, and certain public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from campus. That makes the shooting’s precise location relevant to any later review of campus-safety reporting.

The reports do not show whether the shooting fell within FAMU’s Clery geography, what the university knew and when, or whether any reporting requirement was triggered. Issuing an alert shows the university communicated a warning; it is not evidence of a Clery violation. No such violation was identified.

Could FAMU Face Legal Liability?

Nothing in the reporting reviewed shows FAMU was legally responsible. The reported location was an intersection near Bragg Memorial Stadium, and the information does not show the shooting occurred inside a university building, on university-owned property or at a university-sponsored event.

A university is not automatically liable whenever a crime happens nearby. A civil claim would need evidence of a legal duty, a breach, causation and compensable harm, and any defenses would be considered. Where a claim is against a public university, Florida’s sovereign immunity law, § 768.28, limits and conditions suits against state entities. No evidence reviewed supports a claim against FAMU, and an alert, a nearby shooting and possible future litigation are separate matters.

What Rights Do Crime Victims Have in Florida?

If investigators confirm that someone was a victim of a crime, Florida law gives crime victims certain rights. Marsy’s Law, in Article I, Section 16 of the Florida Constitution, gives victims rights such as timely notice of certain proceedings and to be informed and heard at specified stages. Florida’s crime victim compensation program, under Chapter 960 of the Florida Statutes, can help eligible victims with certain costs such as medical expenses, counseling and lost wages, subject to eligibility rules and limits. Anyone who may qualify should contact the Florida Attorney General’s victim services office or a licensed Florida attorney.

What Can Witnesses Do?

Police investigations often depend on people who were present or who have recordings. Anyone with direct information should contact TPD through official channels:

• Emergency: Call 911 for an immediate threat or emergency.
• Tallahassee Police Department: (850) 891-4200.
• Anonymous tips: Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-8477.

Witnesses should share only what they personally saw and avoid circulating unverified names, accusations or motives. They should not approach a suspected person or interfere with the investigation. Anyone with video or photos should keep the original files and follow investigators’ instructions if asked to provide them.

What Happens Next?

• Police update: TPD may release the timeline, victim count, injury severity, suspect descriptions or any arrest.
• Victim information: Authorities may share details about victims when appropriate. No victim count or identity should be assumed before confirmation.
• Evidence and motive: Police will keep reviewing evidence and witness statements. Motive remains unresolved.
• Potential charges: If a suspect is identified and evidence is sufficient, prosecutors may evaluate charges under the applicable Florida laws. No charge should be described as filed until confirmed.
• Campus-safety updates: FAMU may share more through its alert system or official channels.

The key unanswered questions are the number of victims, the extent of injuries, the circumstances of the shooting and whether a suspect has been identified. Until officials provide them, reporting should stay with confirmed information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the FAMU shooting happen?

Local reports place the police response in the Perry Street area near FAMU, with one outlet naming Perry Street and Manatee Street. The reports do not establish that it happened inside Bragg Memorial Stadium.

When did the shooting happen?

The exact time was not confirmed. One outlet described the incident as Friday evening, October 23, 2026, and coverage continued through October 24 and 25.

How many people were shot near FAMU?

No confirmed victim count was established in the reports reviewed.

Did anyone die in the FAMU shooting?

The sources reviewed did not establish that anyone died.

Were FAMU students the victims?

No reliable report reviewed confirmed that any victim was a FAMU student or employee.

Was the shooting connected to FAMU Homecoming?

It happened during Homecoming weekend, but no confirmed link to the game or another university event was established.

Has anyone been arrested?

No confirmed arrest was identified as of October 25, 2026.

What Florida law applies to a shooting on a public street?

Section 790.15 addresses discharging a firearm in public places and on certain public roads. Other statutes may apply depending on the conduct, injuries and evidence. No charge was confirmed.

Could the university be sued over the shooting?

It would depend on the exact location, any legal duty, whether it was breached and whether that caused compensable harm. Nothing reviewed shows FAMU was responsible.

Where can witnesses send information?

Call TPD at (850) 891-4200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (850) 574-8477. Call 911 in an emergency.

Sources and Legal Authorities

1. WCTV, TPD investigating shooting at Perry Street and Manatee Street: https://www.wctv.tv/2026/10/25/tpd-police-presence-perry-street-manatee-street/
2. WTXL, TPD investigating shooting on Perry Street; FAMU urges people to avoid area: https://www.wtxl.com/northeast-tallahassee/tpd-investigating-shooting-on-perry-street-famu-urges-people-to-avoid-area
3. Tallahassee Democrat, FAMU safety alert for police activity near Bragg Stadium: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/breaking/2026/10/24/famu-issues-safety-alert-for-police-activity-near-bragg-stadium/92424984007/
4. FAMU Alert system: https://www.famu.edu/administration/campus-services/emergency-management/famu-alert/index.php
5. FAMU official events calendar, October 24, 2026: https://calendar.famu.edu/calendar/day/2026/10/24
6. Florida Statutes § 790.15: https://flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/790.15
7. Florida Statutes § 784.045: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0784/Sections/0784.045.html
8. Florida Statutes § 782.04: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0782/Sections/0782.04.html
9. 34 C.F.R. § 668.46: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-668/subpart-D/section-668.46
10. Tallahassee Police Department public-safety resources: https://www.talgov.com/publicsafety/tpd-citizens

Informational disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is a legal information website, not a law firm. It does not establish the cause of the shooting, identify a suspect or determine criminal or civil liability. Anyone affected should consult a licensed Florida attorney.