Active shooter opens fire at Florida State University campus sending students fleeing

At least four people have been hospitalized after an active shooter opened fire at Florida State University’s Tallahassee’s campus.

Chilling footage showed the suspected gunman being handcuffed on the ground by a police officer some time after students were sent fleeing from a student union around midday local time Thursday. 

A witness on the scene told WCTV they saw a college-aged man exit the student union with a handgun, and another witness told the Tallahassee Democrat that they’d heard what sounded like ‘automatic gunfire.’ 

Officials at the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Hospital have not offered any details on the condition of the four injured victims. There was no early identification of the suspected gunman. 

Shortly after the horror unfolded, students were sent an alert soon after the gunshots were heard ordering them to seek shelter, saying police were ‘on scene or on the way.’

Locals have been urged to stay inside, lock their doors and stay away from windows as the campus has been placed under strict lockdown. 

Several witnesses took to social media to share clips of students fleeing and seeking shelter, with others showing food, picnic blankets and bags that were left on a lawn after students scrambled to safety.  

The Tallahassee Fire Department has taken control of the campus, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office said it had deployed a helicopter to survey the area. 

Students are seeing running across a road at Florida State University on Thursday afternoon after an active shooter opened fire close to the campus’ student union 

Footage showed a victim being carried away by paramedics 

A stock photo of Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus, where an active shooting broke out on Thursday morning 

Florida State University said Thursday afternoon that all classes and events were cancelled for the day. 

Meteorology student Garrett Harvey shared a video his fellow classmates sprinting across a road as panic set in on campus. 

Another meteorology student, Ryan Cedergren, said he was in the affected area, saying: ‘We were just evacuated by police and are safe. 

‘Sending fervent prayers to all impacted, and huge thank you to fsu police, Tallahassee police, and everyone who came to help.’ 

Leon County School District buildings which sit close to the campus have also been placed on lockdown. 

FSU Tallahassee is a public college located in Florida’s state capital and sits on the Sunshine State’s panhandle.

It has around 45,000 students, with movie star Burt Reynolds and The Doors singer Jim Morrison among its famous alumni.