Florida State University Students Recount Campus Shooting Experience

Immediate Lockdown Procedures

• 💡 During a pharmacology class, a student stood up and announced there was a shooter, prompting immediate evacuation and then a directive to return to the classroom to barricade the door.
• 📌 Students hid under desks in the dark for approximately two hours, uncertain of the unfolding events.
• 🎯 Simultaneously, at the campus gym, students heard sirens and emergency signals, leading them to barricade themselves in the locker room showers with about a hundred other individuals.

Preparedness for School Shootings

• 🧠 Both students acknowledged that preparing for such events has become a grim reality and a common, albeit unfortunate, part of their lives.
• ⚠️ Drills in high school prepared them to immediately seek shelter, barricade doors, and stay away from windows when the shooting occurred.
• 💬 The experience of huddling in a corner, crying, and trying to remain calm while awaiting further instructions highlights the emotional toll.

Information Dissemination and Rumors

• 📱 Students received updates through an FSU alert system, group chats, and messages from friends, though many rumors circulated.
• 🔍 The presence of phones allowed students to text each other to confirm their safety and share information, even if some of it was unconfirmed.
• ⚠️ The challenge of discerning accurate information from rumors was significant, with some students choosing to limit phone usage to avoid false alarms.

Confirmed Details and Aftermath

• 📍 One student reported the shooter was very close to her classroom building, with initial unconfirmed reports suggesting one to three individuals involved and some injuries.
• 🗣️ Students were instructed to stay in place, remain calm, and text loved ones to ensure their well-being.
• 📰 Despite the chaos, official confirmation on the exact number of shooters or injured individuals remained scarce for some students.