Introduction to the Incident
Students are describing the panic and fear they experienced as a shooting unfolded at Florida State University on Thursday.
The shooting unfolded around lunchtime near the student union and left two people dead and multiple people injured.
Here’s what some students have said about what they experienced.
Personal Accounts of the Shooting
‘I just ran, and I could hear the shots echoing’
Florida State University junior McKenzie Heeter decided to grab lunch on what she described as a "normal" day on campus.
The communications major from Jacksonville was making the short walk back to her apartment with her food when she saw a guy pull out a gun.
"We all got kind of really alarmed, like, what the heck?" she said. "And then he turns back into his car and gets the pistol. And that’s when he turns forward and shoots the lady in front of him in the back while she was walking," Heeter told NBC6 by phone. "I just ran, and I could hear the shots echoing," she said.
Check out Heeter’s full account here.
Tallahassee police responded to reports of an active shooter on the campus of Florida State University on Thursday.
‘Get down, get down, get down!’
Evan Garcia, a student from Miami, said he was in classroom next to the student union and in the middle of a lecture when they heard loud banging.
"We had two other people, random people that are not part of our class run into our room, one being a girl who was crying hysterically and a guy saying ‘get down, get down get down!’" Garcia told NBC6 in a phone interview. "And then we hear what we now knew were shots go off again and the lockdown alarm started going off, so we had to run and barricade the doors and our windows since our windows are facing the union or right next to it, we had to barricade it with our tables and our chairs and we just kind of sat there."
‘It was a bit of a surreal moment’
Jake Nair, a senior at Florida State University, was studying in the library when a police officer dashed out of the building, yelling for everyone to stay in place.
“He ran outside with his gun out,” Nair said. “Not all the students heard him, and some of them ran out the back of the library.”
Nair said an alarm in the library then went off and a recorded message warned students to shelter in place because of an active shooter on campus.
Then about five officers came into the library and escorted the students out with their hands up.
“I think they just wanted to make sure none of us had a weapon on us,” Nair said. “To be honest, it was a bit of a surreal moment. It’s the kind of thing you only see on the news.”
‘We didn’t know — it could get worse, right?’
Chris Pento told Tallahassee TV station WCTV that he was on campus Thursday for a tour with his twins and that they were inside the student union getting lunch when they heard gunshots.
“It was surreal. And people just started running,” he told the TV station.
Pento said he and several others crammed into a service elevator after first encountering locked doors at the end of a hallway.
“That was probably the scariest point because we didn’t know — it could get worse, right?” he said. “The doors opened, and two officers were there, guns drawn.”
He said the officers asked if they’d seen anything and then pointed them to safety.
‘It’s so hard to believe’
Kai McGalla, an FSU sophomore studying finance and Spanish, was taking a test on Excel spreadsheets at a testing center on campus when he started to hear sirens headed to the student union about a 20-minute walk away. The test proctor told them they were being locked down at the center because of the shooting.
“I’m in shock, you know, it’s so hard to believe,” McGalla said by phone while still locked down at the testing center. “The first thing you think of is just, ‘This can’t be true,’ right?”
‘In that moment, it was survival’
Ryan Cedergren, a 21-year-old communications student, said he and about 30 others hid in the bowling alley in the lower level of the student union after seeing students running from a nearby bar.
“In that moment, it was survival,” Cedergren said.
After about 15 minutes of hiding, university police escorted the students out of the union, and Cedergren said he saw a person receiving emergency treatment on the lawn.
Conclusion
The shooting at Florida State University has left students and faculty in a state of shock and fear. The personal accounts of the students who witnessed the shooting highlight the panic and chaos that ensued. As the investigation continues, the university and the community come together to support those affected by the tragedy.
FAQs
Q: What happened at Florida State University on Thursday?
A: A shooting occurred near the student union, leaving two people dead and multiple people injured.
Q: What did the students experience during the shooting?
A: Students described the panic and fear they experienced as they heard gunshots and saw people running for their lives.
Q: How did the university respond to the shooting?
A: The university locked down the campus, and police officers escorted students to safety.
Q: What is the current status of the investigation?
A: The investigation is ongoing, and the university and law enforcement are working together to determine the cause of the shooting.
Q: How can students and faculty get support after the tragedy?
A: The university is offering counseling services and support to those affected by the shooting.
