A 15-year-old male will be charged as an adult after a Tallahassee, Florida, mass shooting over the weekend in which 11 were wounded, authorities said.
The shooting took place Saturday outside Bragg Stadium after Florida A&M University’s homecoming football game, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
‘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 on Sunday arrested Anthony Rivers III in connection with the shooting, which the paper said was one of the worst in Tallahassee history.
Rivers, who has faced criminal charges in the past, made his first court appearance Monday, the paper said, adding that State Attorney Jack Campbell said the teen will be charged as an adult and transferred from the Juvenile Assessment Center to the Leon County Detention Facility.
The 15-year-old is facing 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a delinquent, police said.
The paper said it names minors when they are charged with violent offenses.
“Our investigation indicates that a physical altercation occurred before shots were fired,” Police Chief Lawrence Revell said, according to the paper. “At this stage of the investigation, none of the victims appear to have been the intended targets.”
Detectives believe the incident stemmed from a dispute between people who knew one another, the Democrat added.
Revell previously said detectives believed there was only one shooter, but police now say additional arrests are possible, the paper noted.
Leon Circuit Judge Andrew Sheeran during a Monday juvenile court hearing ordered Rivers held in “secure detention” while his case is pending, which the judge said is required by statute given the nature of the charges, the paper reported.
Sheeran also granted a motion he said police filed to seal the probable cause affidavit, which includes details of the crime and what led to the suspect’s arrest, the paper said.
The paper said at least 12 people were injured, including 11 who were shot. Police said one individual injured an ankle while fleeing the gunfire.
Six of the victims were children, including the youngest victim, who is 11 years old, Revell told the Democrat.
The chief on Monday added to Fox News that five of the 11 who were shot have been released from the hospital, while three of the six still hospitalized were in critical condition, with one listed as very critical.
Half of the victims were male, the other half female, the paper said.
More from the Democrat:
Gunfire erupted shortly before 8 p.m. Oct. 24, at Perry and Manatee streets, an area usually packed with food trucks and vendors during FAMU home football games. It was packed with students, alumni, families, and Rattlers fans.
“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,” Revell said. “While this arrest marks a significant step forward, our work is far from over. We remain committed to holding those responsible accountable and getting answers for every family impacted by this tragedy.”
TPD said its officers and investigators worked “around the clock” to identify the alleged shooter.
“In the moments immediately following the shooting, our officers rushed toward danger to render aid to victims even before the scene was fully secured,” Revell said. “I could not be prouder of the men and women of this department.”
Police said a “significant influx” of information poured in from the community, the paper reported, adding that police before the arrest asked the public for any cellphone video or tips from witnesses.
The police “need our community’s help. No detail is too small, and no piece of information should go unreported,” Revell said, according to the paper. “If you know something, please share it with our detectives. Your information could be the key to holding those responsible accountable.”
Police established a dedicated tip hotline (850-891-4610) and activated an evidence submission website (tallahasseepd.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/perrystreetincident), the paper said.
Tipsters also can remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS with tips and other information, the Democrat noted.
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Florida, Tallahassee, Teen, Mass shooting, Arrest, Attempted murder, Crime
