- Active shooter reported near FSU Student Union building
- Tallahassee police initiated campus-wide lockdown procedures
- No confirmed casualties as of initial reports
Florida State University students and faculty faced terror Friday afternoon when university alerts warned of an active shooter near the Student Union complex. Campus police confirmed receiving multiple 911 calls at approximately 3:15 PM EST, with witnesses reporting hearing potential gunshots in the Academic Commons area.
University emergency protocols activated immediately, with campus-wide text alerts directing students to shelter in place. Local law enforcement agencies, including Tallahassee Police Department and Leon County Sheriff's Office, established a perimeter around the St. Augustine Street academic corridor. Crisis negotiators and SWAT teams were deployed as precautionary measures.
This incident follows a 22% increase in campus firearm incidents nationwide since 2020, according to Department of Education statistics. Regional comparisons show three similar lockdown events at Florida colleges in the past 18 months, including a February 2023 false alarm at University of Central Florida that cost $250,000 in emergency response resources.
Psychological experts emphasize the long-term trauma impacts of active shooter alerts. FSU's counseling center reported a 40% increase in anxiety-related appointments following a 2019 bomb threat incident. Current university protocols mandate post-crisis mental health screenings for all eyewitnesses.
University spokesperson Dr. Ellen Whitford stated: 'Student safety remains our absolute priority. We're coordinating with state authorities to implement enhanced weapon detection systems scheduled for 2025 installation.' Meanwhile, parents and families have flooded campus phone lines seeking confirmation of student safety.
