2 Killed and 6 Wounded in School Shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee; Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond

TALAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statements in response to a mass shooting Thursday at Florida State University in Tallahassee. While details are still emerging, reports show at least 2 were shot and killed, at least 6 wounded, and a 20-year-old suspect is in custody. 

“There’s nothing more terrifying than going from taking lecture notes to hearing gun shots and not knowing if you’re going to survive the next few minutes, but that’s what happened to me today,” said Andres Perez, a volunteer leader with the Florida State University Students Demand Action chapter. “This was the nightmare scenario our generation has been forced to prepare for our entire lives. My heart is broken for my school and my community. We refuse to  keep paying the price for lawmakers’ failure to take action on gun safety.”

“Our kids should be safe in classrooms—not running for their lives on college campuses. No parent should have to sit by the phone just waiting and hoping for a text that says, ‘I’m okay,’” said Katie Hathaway, a volunteer with the Florida chapter of Moms Demand Action and Florida State University alumna. “What’s most infuriating is that this didn’t have to happen. This is preventable. Our lawmakers have the power to pass life-saving gun safety laws—but instead, they’re pushing dangerous legislation that puts more guns in more hands, and more kids in the line of fire. Haven’t we learned anything? How many more children have to die before our elected officials finally find the courage to act?”

Florida knows the traumatic toll of gun violence in schools all too well. In 2014, three people were shot and wounded on Florida State University’s campus after a gunman entered the campus library with a firearm. Then in 2018, the state was devastated again by the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that shattered families and communities across the state. The shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a former student, legally purchased the firearm used to shoot and kill 17 people and injure 17 more—at just 19 years old. 

After the horrific mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Republican lawmakers and Governor Rick Scott took action to pass common sense policies designed to prevent another tragedy from happening again. However, this legislative session, extremist lawmakers are attempting to rollback this life-saving legislation and lower the age to purchase a firearm back down from 21 to 18. 

People aged 18 to 20 are three times more likely to commit gun homicides than those 21 and older. The last thing the state needs is to weaken gun laws. Yet lawmakers are recklessly pushing legislation that would lower the minimum age to purchase firearms—an irresponsible move that invites more tragedies like the one we witnessed today at Florida State. Lawmakers should be prioritizing stronger, commonsense gun safety laws, like expanding the state’s Child Access Prevention (CAP) law into a more comprehensive secure storage law that requires secure storage whenever the firearm is not in the immediate control of the user. But instead, lawmakers are trying to take us in the wrong direction by making our laws even weaker, and actively putting students, teachers, and communities at greater risk. 

Firearms are the second leading cause of death for children, teens and young adults in Florida. Children, teens and young adults in the U.S. are impacted by gun violence in all its forms. Exposure to gun violence has an impact on the psychological and mental well-being of young people and affects their school performance, among other factors. 

This is the 18th shooting on a college campus and the first mass shooting on a college campus in 2025. This shooting is the 81st mass shooting of 2025.In an average year, 3,108 people die by guns. With a rate of 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people, Florida has the 33rd-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. Gun violence costs Florida $40.3 billion each year, of which $875.9 million is paid by taxpayers. More information on gun violence in Florida is available here.