Update Nov. 20, 3:30 p.m.: The Tallahassee Police Department has identified the shooter as Myron May, a 2005 FSU graduate, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. May went on to earn a law degree from Texas Tech.
May’s last Facebook post was dated Tuesday. In it, he quoted Bible scripture: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
May stated he was from Dayton, Ohio, and listed his current home as Wewahitchka, Florida, which is in the Panhandle.
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Update Nov. 20, 8:15 a.m.: The Tallahassee Police Department has confirmed that the three people wounded in Thursday’s shooting are students. Their identities have not yet been released, but their families have been notified. Police are not releasing the identity of the shooter at this time.
A total of five officers from the Florida State University and Tallahassee Police Departments have been placed on administrative leave following the shooting.
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Anyone with information about the shooting at the Strozier Library is asked to call 850-891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 850-574-TIPS.
Earlier:
A man is dead and three people are reportedly wounded following an early Thursday morning shooting on the Florida State University campus.
Details in the incident remain murky, but it is being reported that the gunman was shot by police after he was ordered to drop his weapon. The man, however, fire a single shot and police returned fire, The Tampa Tribune reported.
The shooting took place in the Strozier Library around 12:30 a.m. About 300 to 400 students were in the library at the time, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
The Tallahassee Police Department said three people were treated at the scene for gunshot wounds. Two had to be taken to local hospitals. The condition of the victims remains unclear.
Students reported chaos as the incident unfolded.
Student John Ehab of Tampa was on the library’s third floor when he heard the shots.
“Everyone heard them,” he was quoted by the Tampa Bay Times as saying. Ehab said people took cover in the aisles in case the gunman came to that floor.
While further details about the shooting, including the identities of those involved, are not yet available, the school has canceled classes today.
“In order to provide services for our students and employees, the university will remain open today but all classes scheduled for Thursday, November 20, 2014 are cancelled, including exams scheduled to be held at the Testing Center on Thursday,” the school’s Facebook page stated. “University employees are to report today as scheduled.”
The library itself will remain closed until further notice, but students are being allowed to retrieve personal belongings with assistance from law enforcement.
Counseling services will be made available to students and employees via the school’s Counseling Center and the Victim Advocate program.
University President John Thrasher issued a statement via Facebook early Thursday morning.
“The Florida State University community is extremely saddened by the shootings that took place early this morning at Strozier Library, in the very heart of campus, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those who have been affected,” he wrote. “The three students who have been injured are our highest priority followed by the needs of our greater university community. We will do everything possible to assist with their recovery.”
Stay with Patch for updates as they become available.
Photo Credit: Students gather on the FSU campus Thursday following the shooting. Twitter screenshot from FSU.
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