FSU Student Recounts Experience During Deadly Campus Shooting

Immediate Aftermath of the Shooting

• 😔 Philip Allison, an FSU student and student union employee, shares his experience following a deadly campus shooting.
• 💡 Initially mistaking the gunshots for construction noise, Allison describes the rapid escalation of the situation as police presence increased.
• 🏃 He recounts a stressful rush back to his dorm, locking down, and waiting out the active shooter event.

Impact on the FSU Community

• 💔 Allison expresses that while he was fortunate to be further from the immediate incident, friends who were closer or witnessed the shooting are struggling significantly.
• ✈️ Many students are leaving campus, with suitcases and cars departing Tallahassee, to be with family.
• ⚖️ A poll in his dorm indicated a 50/50 split between students staying on campus and those leaving.

Personal Decision to Stay

• 🌱 Allison expresses a personal desire to stay at FSU and not let the tragedy derail his life, aiming to keep things together.
• 🚶 He notes that some normalcy is returning, with students attending dining halls and the gym, reflecting a personal decision to either push through or take time to recover elsewhere.

Proximity and Response Time

• 🗺️ The dining hall Allison was coming from is about a 5-minute walk from the student union where the shooting occurred.
• ⚡ He observed FSUPD officers moving with unusual speed, which, along with seeing other students running and covering their heads, confirmed the seriousness of the situation.
• ⏱️ The student's account suggests a very fast response time from law enforcement.