Two people were killed and five hurt in a shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee, officials said, after a student opened fire on campus Thursday. The attacker was taken into custody, according to police, who described the investigation as ongoing.

The two people killed were not students, investigators said at an news conference about four hours after the shooting. Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil identified the shooter as the 20-year-old son of a deputy in the sheriff’s department.

Here’s what to know:

Gunshots were reported at the student union building shortly before noon, and the university soon issued a shelter-in-place alert. The alert was lifted at 3:20 p.m., but students were advised to avoid the student union and other buildings, which the university said were “still an active crime scene.”

The gunfire sent students and staff members seeking cover. A professor, Chris Coutts, said he was “baffled” as he walked to his car after having sheltered in place. “This is the second one since I’ve been here,” he said, referring to a 2014 shooting in which a gunman wounded three people in the library.

Officers began evacuating academic buildings soon after the shelter-in-place alert went out. Local and state police officers were on campus escorting students from the buildings near the student union.

The FBI in Jacksonville, Florida, said in a statement on social media that it was assisting with the response. Gov. Ron DeSantis said on social media that state law enforcement was “actively responding.”

University officials canceled all classes, events and business operations for the rest of the week. All athletic events are canceled through the weekend. The last day of classes is April 25.

—

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Adeel Hassan, Amanda Holpuch and Valerie Crowder/Erich Martin
c. 2025 The New York Times Company