Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Tallahassee Police shared more details about a burglary that left one man dead on Meadowbrook Lane Saturday while family members are raising questions about the incident police said 27-year old Shawn Calloway was stabbed after forcing his way into a home and Police said there was a brief struggle before the man grabbed a knife and stabbed Calloway WCTV spoke to Calloway’s partner and mother of his children She said she brought Calloway home from work around 1:45 a.m and he had just finished celebrating his birthday Class said it was normal for Calloway to sit in his car after work He’s never done anything like that before,” Class said Class said they moved into the neighborhood a few days before the incident and didn’t know anyone She also said the details described about Calloway don’t match the kind of person he was “Anybody that knows him knows that he was loved and that he’ll give the shirt off his back for anyone,” Class said TPD confirmed Calloway and the man who stabbed him did not know each other evidence also suggests Calloway may have been under the influence at the time of the incident Police said the man in the home called 911 immediately probable cause does not currently exist to make an arrest.” To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and X (Twitter) Have a news tip or see an error that needs attention? Write to us here Please include the article’s headline in your message Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:A community effort to save the life of a fellow neighbor I’m Kenya Cardonne in the Northeast Tallahassee neighborhood We’re hearing from a FAMU professor battling a rare blood cancer after hundreds of neighbors have joined a mission to find him the donor match he needs for a life-saving transplant I was brushing my teeth when I got the phone call.” Ancil Carruthers describes how he felt when he found out he had a rare blood cancer called Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma probably one of the toughest punches I've ever taken in my life.” We first told you about this FAMU pharmacy professor and his Tallahassee family on May 1st He needs a bone marrow transplant to survive but is struggling to find a donor match due to a shortage of black donors NE Tallahassee neighbor, FAMU team up to save professor with rare cancer It’s what sparked their good friend Andrea Stephens to host local donor recruitment drives where neighbors can safely join the marrow match pool I stopped by Sunday’s drive at Celebration Church where 65 neighbors joined the pool for a chance to save Ancil’s life if I can help save a fellow Leon County/Tallahassee neighbor then I absolutely will step up to do that.” I think that's what we're supposed to be doing here on this earth Between local events and online recruitments there are now 249 new bone marrow donors on the registry and I'm grateful for the support that everybody's providing my friend.” Ancil Carruthers - “It's just been so encouraging to see how much love and support we have from family how many people actually care about people Ancil's Wife - “We actually have hope for the first time in a long time They tell me even if the boost in pool recruitments helps someone else find a donor match But it’s clear the community wants a win for this family Williams - “I will keep you all in my prayers and I believe that you will receive a match.” Experts tell us 90% of donor matches only have to undergo non-surgical blood donation procedures If you missed this weekend’s events, you can still join the match pool by ordering a free swab kit online. Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Like us on Facebook Follow us onInstagramand X. Report a typo We cover stories making an impact in Northeast Tallahassee. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Northeast Tallahassee and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood By on May 5, 20251 Comment During the May 8th Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency (IA) budget workshop, elected officials will consider a proposal to fund air service financial incentives in the amount of $670,000 annually beginning in 2026 Leon County and Tallahassee elected officials don’t like the state’s requirement that forces them to enter into agreements between their local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration enforcement House and Senate leaders said late Friday they had reached agreement on a “framework” for a budget deal that would include $2.8 billion in tax cuts with lawmakers expected to return to the Capitol during the week of May 12 to negotiate details Santa Ono, who has led the University of Michigan since 2022, is the sole finalist to become president of the University of Florida The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Monday, May 5, 2025 added by on May 5, 2025View all posts by Staff → ALL Law Enforcement is SUPPOSED to UP HOLD THE LAWS They can’t pick and choose which ones they get to up hold and they ALL should be working together This means two thoughts go through every local’s head: “I need to avoid downtown at all costs,” and “Oh boy traffic will be way less congested for the next four months!” so as Uncle Scar would say: “Be prepared.” The next big chapter for these soon-to-be alumni is here Tallahassee is an academic hub in North Florida Florida State University and Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and a state college with an ever-impressive resume Tallahassee State College (aka the artist formerly known as TCC) The metaphorical spirits are high this weekend just two weeks removed from a campus shooting understands that commencements this year have an additional role to play will begin with a moment of silence to honor Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba whose lives were lost in the violence that shook the Tallahassee campus just days ago We will also reflect on those still recovering from their injuries and the strength they’ve demonstrated And we’ll acknowledge the courage and kindness we’ve witnessed since — a reflection of the best of Florida State,” said FSU President Richard McCullough FSU is handing out the most degrees in university history or nap opportunities depending on who is orating they all have the same themes about adulthood and how you should be proud of your accomplishments but who delivers it can make or break the ceremony especially for those watching in the crowd who don’t have the constant anxiety that they’ll fall face first when they cross the stage closed the Friday night commencement for the College of Arts and Sciences the group vice president and head of corporate business development of Eli Lilly & Company inspire all the Rattlers in the College of Education College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences commencing on Thursday and welcoming more than 1,500 new Eagles after Christian Caban District 2 County Commissioner and TSC alum “This year’s commencement is a celebration of the hard work perseverance and achievements of our students as well as the continued growth of our College,” said TSC President Jim Murdaugh FSU and FAMU are chugging along with more cap-and-gown celebrations graduation for the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences School of Architecture and Engineering Technology and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering wraps up FAMU’s graduation weekend at 2 p.m. when she is scheduled to deliver the commencement speech for grads in the College of Science and Technology School of Journalism & Graphic Communication and School of Nursing to send off future Noles in the Dedman College of Hospitality College of Motion Picture Arts and College of Social Sciences & Public Policy former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Ricky Polston will be giving his sage advice to the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Anne Spencer Daves College of Education The final graduation ceremony among the three schools is at 7 p.m. when FSU Hall of Famer and longtime head coach of Seminole volleyball comes to cheer on grads in the College of Fine Arts College of Communication & Information College of Criminology & Criminal Justice if you decide to partake in some fine dining this weekend or just want to go to a nice bar (… or even a dive if we are being honest with ourselves and FSU’s party reputation) prepare for some delays and expect some craziness and observations from the week that was in Florida’s capital city by Peter Schorsch Andrew Powell and the staff of Florida Politics the “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was: “All other measures will be indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration as of 12 a.m May 3 of this year,” Garrison said on the floor The decision to extend came after the chambers met on their respective floors before repeatedly taking breaks and reconvening throughout the day and into the evening “I’m just really glad that in a year and a half we’re going to have another Speaker,” she said Raising hurdles: Shadows from last year’s failed citizen-led ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana and protect abortion rights are looming over this Session as the Legislature has passed a bill adding more hurdles for future petition drives With the House approving HB 1205 as passed by the Senate who quickly signed it into law on Friday evening Among the sweeping changes are provisions stating that anyone who collects more than 25 signed petitions — not counting their own or immediate family members’ ballots — must register with the state as an official petition circulator and undergo two hours of online training Violators can be charged with a third-degree felony The bill also shortens the timeline to turn in signed petitions from 30 to 10 days adding stiffer penalties for the petition sponsor for violations ‘Loud and clear’: After some back-and-forth the Legislature has agreed on clearer language to prevent development on state park lands The House initially approved the measure (HB 209) in mid-April the Senate added amendments to the bill’s language in that chamber Wednesday House lawmakers agreed Thursday to accept that language sponsored the bill and said the Senate amendments were “minor” and that the measure is still essentially intact from when the House first approved it asked Snyder for assurances that the bill would prohibit the “takeover” of state parks by golf courses Snyder said there’s no doubt that golf courses will not be added to state parks under the wording in the bill “That piece is very much in there loud and clear and did not change,” Snyder said Free kill on life support: Lawmakers this week agreed to repeal a 35-year-old law that today bars adult children over 25 and their parents from suing for pain and suffering due to a wrongful death caused by medical malpractice Legislation (HB 6017) deleting the unique provision from state statutes cleared a final Senate vote 33-4 An overwhelming share of House lawmakers approved the bill late last month will end what may refer to as Florida’s “free kill” law lawmakers expanded Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to add more classifications of survivors entitled to non-economic damages for general cases of wrongful death But the change excluded adult children 26 and older and parents of adult children from being able to sue for pain and suffering if their family member dies due to medical malpractice and is not married or doesn’t have minor children The final Thursday vote came one day after Senators rejected an amendment that Sen Clay Yarborough proffered would have capped awards at $1 million per incident “This is a 35-year-old law that needs to be repealed,” he said The Florida Women’s Hall of Fame will be getting three new inductees Ron DeSantis selected them based on recommendations presented by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women Belle Yates Bear is a principal of the Bear Family Foundation and a dedicated community member who has served Escambia and Santa Rosa counties As a founding member of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area which provides grants to nonprofit organizations Bear held numerous leadership roles and was a founding member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida Her many accolades include a Florida Senate Presidential Medal Mary Brickell is often celebrated as the “Mother of Miami” and played a pivotal role in the city’s early development After arriving in South Florida in 1871 and acquiring 2,000 acres of land along the Miami River with her husband the Brickells laid the foundation for one of Florida’s most iconic cities they established the area’s first post office and general store and opened their home as a makeshift hospital during the typhoid outbreak of 1873 Brickell and pioneer Julia Tuttle facilitated the arrival of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway through the sale of land cementing herself as an integral part of Miami’s history Dotti Groover-Skipper currently serves as the Anti-Trafficking Director at The NOMORE Foundation and Chair of the SAFE Alliance of Tampa Bay Board of Directors Groover-Skipper has served on the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council the Hillsborough County Commission on the Status of Women and the Hillsborough County Commission on Human Trafficking Groover-Skipper was honored with the 2024 “Women Who Win” Award by Tampa Bay Business and Wealth Magazine and also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister in 2024 As graduation approaches for Florida State University the horrible events of April 17 still linger for many students The scary truth is that things could’ve been much worse if not for the first responders who arrived quickly to apprehend the shooter DeSantis presented members of the Florida State University Police Department with the Governor’s Medal of Heroism DeSantis said in a Facebook post: “These brave officers ran toward danger at great personal risk and potential sacrifice to protect students and staff on FSU’s campus This is truly answering the call of duty and putting others first Thank you to each of the eight officers recognized today for exemplifying heroism; this is an honor well deserved.” FSUPD officers neutralized the shooter in just over two minutes likely preventing further injuries or deaths “I am immensely proud of the men and women of FSUPD DeSantis acknowledged our courageous officers today This recognition is entirely about them,” said FSUPD Chief Jason Trumbower The Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday that it had apprehended and charged a man with voter fraud Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution released a statement saying that a four-time felon has been arrested and charged with illegally casting a ballot Lasecki voted in the 2022 General Election while on probation and when his voting rights had not been restored Uthmeier’s office said the defendant knowingly filled out multiple voting registration applications despite being prohibited from voting due to his criminal history “This defendant knowingly unlawfully participated in the 2022 Election as a four-time felon on probation,” Uthmeier said in a statement and our office is committed to enforcing accountability in order to protect the legitimacy of our elections.” Investigators claimed that when Lasecki was filling out voter registration applications in 2022 he indicated that his civil rights had been restored and claimed he was not on probation then has since confessed to investigators that he did Lasecki had previously been convicted of two separate parole violations felony battery and attempted first-degree murder Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Sophia Birriel-Sanchez will be handling the case Theme launched the Office of Parental Rights in association with the Southeastern Legal Foundation The initiative aims to establish justice for parents and families who feel their rights have been violated “Governments should understand that — when it comes to raising a child — they don’t know best and they deserve an Attorney General’s office working on their behalf,” said Uthmeier “This first-in-the-nation office is a mechanism for parents and families to seek justice where local governments and school systems seek to ‘treat,’ indoctrinate or collect data from students without parental involvement This new initiative is another way we are making Florida the best place to raise a family.” The OPR can assist with cases that see denial of access to school records lack of consent for biometric or personal data collection and unauthorized health care counseling or mental health services and more The office will also help when parents call foul for “Interference with educational choices” or “objectionable instructional or library materials.” Kimberly Hermann of the Southeastern Legal Foundation was on hand for the announcement and recent instances where an office like OPR could’ve stepped in “One of the issues we are seeing again and again across this country are secret surveys of public school children this is often an app on a school device that rotates daily questions for kids to answer without any parental knowledge Some of these questions include: questions about mental health and their relationship with you as parents,” she said Florida Rehabilitation Council — The Governor announced a dozen appointments to the Florida Rehabilitation Council this week Florida Department of Education Vice Chancellor for Strategic Improvement Margaret “Peggy” Aune Bridgeway Center President and CEO Bonnie Barlow FDOE Division of Vocational Rehabilitation consultant Diane Cholcher Parent To Parent of Miami President and CEO Farides Garcia Ippolito Foods founder and President Richard Ippolito Tampa Brass and Aluminum vice president of Sales and Business Development Chris Leto Amerikey Locksmith founder and CEO Paul Micklow Disability Achievement Center Executive Director Nicole Reed FDOE Director of Vocational Rehabilitation Kelly Rogers Florida Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Legislative Program Director Meredith Stanfield and Sunlake High School Exceptional Student Education teacher Alisa Stock The Acquisition and Restoration Council — DeSantis announced the appointment of Joshua Gamblin and Will Watts to the Acquisition and Restoration Council Gamblin is the ranch manager of Stolen Saddle Ranch and private land burn team coordinator for the Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy Gamblin earned his bachelor’s degree in natural resource management in wildlife from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and his master’s degree in forest resources and species conservation from the University of Florida Watts is the Assistant Secretary of Engineering and Operations for the Florida Department of Transportation where he oversees environmental mitigation He is a member of the Florida Engineering Society and the American Society of Civil Engineers Watts earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Florida State University No one enjoys the gut-wrenching feeling that starts to sink in moments after a fender bender And no one wants to look up and see the other burning rubber no — “My bad” scribbled on a sticky note stuck to the door does not suffice as penance hit the Governor’s desk and was signed into law “This legislation helps everyday Floridians who are unfairly stuck with the bill I am grateful to have been able to work on this legislation to ensure that those who leave the scene are held accountable fairness and doing the right thing,” said Arrington The legislation allows a court to order a driver convicted of leaving the scene of a crash that directly resulted in damage to an attended vehicle or other property to make restitution to the vehicle owner (It makes you wonder … how this was not already a thing?) “CS/HB 479 makes it clear — if you leave the scene you will be held responsible and are required to pay for the damage you caused This legislation ensures that everyday Floridians are no longer the victim I am beyond proud to see this legislation signed into law,” Daley said is a win for Florida drivers and a loss for anyone without a backbone A bill that aims to implement human trafficking awareness for public school personnel was unanimously passed by the Senate on Monday Hialeah Gardens Republican Sen. Bryan Avila sponsored the bill (SB 444), which was swapped for its House companion bill (HB 1237) which was sponsored by Orlando Republican Rep The bill was amended to match its House version which clarified that the term “public schools” includes charter schools Tracie Davis raised concerns about the training cost Avila said it was already included in school funding “There is no fiscal impact to the schools or the school districts,” Avila said the Department of Education will identify free training curriculum for the schools and the school districts and each school and each district will be able to pool from there.” Avila added that the training could be done online or in person and would be incorporated into existing staff abuse and neglect training conducted before each school year begins The bill requires a district or school-based administrator to annually train instructional personnel and other school personnel who regularly interact with students Such personnel must annually acknowledge receipt of training The bill also requires each school district to develop a comprehensive training curriculum on human trafficking awareness which must be submitted to the Department of Education for approval the Florida Legislature passed a bill to protect Floridians’ access to affordable energy Port St. Joe Republican Rep. Jason Shoaf and Tavares Republican Sen. Keith Truenow sponsored the measure (HB 1137/SB 1002) which has now passed in both chambers and will make its next stop with the Governor The legislation would prohibit local governments and utility entities from restricting the use of certain appliances and fuel sources It would further strengthen existing laws to ensure energy decisions remain with customers “This bill maintains consistent energy policies across Florida preventing local governments from imposing restrictions that could affect the types of energy sources available to consumers,” Truenow said in a statement “The legislation ensures that certain entities can produce convert or supply energy without local government restrictions.” Current law prohibits local governments from enacting or enforcing policies restricting fuel sources that can be delivered or used it has been found that some local entities are skirting around these protections applying fees and restrictions on appliances The measure expands state law to include local boards authorities and cooperatives from being able to restrict fuel sources and/or appliances such as stoves Executive Director of the Florida Natural Gas Association said the measure expands consumer choice and keeps energy affordable “We thank the House and Senate for their leadership and commitment to making sure Floridians have the freedom to choose the energy solutions that work best for them,” Calhoun said The Florida House passed a measure Tuesday that would overhaul the Sunshine State’s rulemaking process Stuart Republican Rep. Overdorf sponsored the bill (HB 433) that was swapped for the Senate companion bill (SB 108) sponsored by Fort Pierce Republican Sen The legislation aims to modernize the state’s administrative procedures and bolster transparency and public engagement in Florida’s government operations “Floridians deserve a front-row seat to their government’s actions — it’s their money their rights,” Overdorf said in a statement Florida’s already a national leader and this keeps us razor-sharp at the forefront.” The measure mandates clear explanations for proposed rules and cost analyses for rules that impact small businesses Rule developments require at least a 30-day notice of legislative triggers from agencies who must also ensure that referenced materials are accessible online It would further launch a system to review and potentially sunset outdated rules Agencies must audit portions of their regulations annually and prepare a report for the Legislature Tighter guardrails would also be implemented for emergency rules while citizens could propose cost-saving alternatives Agencies would be further required to respond to these citizen-led proposals The bill was passed with full support from the Government Operations Subcommittee Budget Committee and State Affairs Committee and it was unanimously passed through both chambers A bill aimed at making stem cell therapies more accessible was passed by the Legislature on Thursday Panama City Republican Sen. Jay Trumbull sponsored the bill (SB 1768) James Buchanan amended during its passage in the House The House amendment refined the terminology used in the definition section of the original bill to clarify that placental prenatal stem cells may be used in stem cell therapy after birth It further prohibits a physician from performing stem cell therapies with stem cells obtained from a facility that fails to meet specific criteria or accreditation standards It also provides that a physician who knowingly uses fetal embryonic tissues from an abortion for treatment or research could face disciplinary action Trumbull added that selling or distributing computer products made with human cells or tissues could carry a third-degree felony charge The legislation aims to ensure stem cell therapies are available but without using stem cells that have been obtained from aborted fetuses Health care providers would also be authorized to perform stem cell therapy that has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration under certain circumstances the Legislature passed a bill to raise awareness of the symptoms and screenings for Type 1 diabetes in young children West Palm Beach Democratic Sen. Mack Bernard sponsored the bill (SB 958) which unanimously passed the House after passing through the Senate the Florida Department of Health (DOH) would be required to collaborate with early learning coalitions and charter schools to develop Type 1 diabetes information materials for parents of young children and notify parents annually of the availability of new materials as I’ve witnessed too many friends whose children have been impacted by this disease,” Bernard said Between 5% and 10% of people with diabetes have Type 1 Approximately 6,568 students with Type 1 diabetes were enrolled in Florida public schools in 2023 Informational materials would be required to describe Type 1 diabetes the risk factors and associated warning signs and recommendations for further evaluation for students who display warning signs The legislation will now go to DeSantis and The Legislature approved a measure Wednesday that aims to correct an unintended consequence of a state law governing municipal utility surcharges Miami Gardens Democratic Rep. Felicia Robinson sponsored the bill (HB 11) Current law allows a municipality that provides water or utilities to another municipality to charge a 25% surcharge due to the costs associated with building infrastructure to extend services there are cases where infrastructure existed before a facility was purchased; some where a facility is physically located within a municipality but owned by a different municipality an owner municipality can impose a 25% surcharge on the residents of another municipality The bill seeks to erase the disparity by requiring all residents within the facility-owner municipality and a host city to be charged the same rate “I am thankful to the Florida Legislature for passing this critical legislation in a time where property insurance rates are skyrocketing and the cost of living continues to increase “Getting this legislation to the finish line was a labor of love to not only my constituents This bill ensures no Florida resident is unfairly charged for essential services simply because of where they live.” The Senate unanimously passed legislation Wednesday prohibiting the unauthorized sale of service appointments with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) or tax collector offices In response to the bill’s passing (HB 961) Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez issued a statement calling it a “victory.” “The unanimous passage of HB 961 is a victory for fairness and common sense,” Fernandez said “What began here in Miami-Dade as a local fight against appointment scalping has now become statewide policy exposed how they were profiting off the public and now Fernandez noted that he is proud of his office’s work alongside former Commissioner Kevin Cabrera noting it sends a clear message that public systems are not for sale “Every resident deserves a fair shot at services — no middlemen Fernandez further said that his office had uncovered a network of individuals and businesses exploiting the appointment scheduling system by overbooking free DHSMV-related services and reselling those appointments to residents for a profit “The community deserves fair and equitable access to essential services free from manipulation and exploitation,” Fernandez said “I thank the Florida Legislature for their leadership and support in ensuring this protection is now enshrined in state law we celebrate a major victory for transparency Individuals caught selling or offering to sell a service appointment with DHSMV or a tax collector could face a first-degree misdemeanor unless specifically allowed in writing mental health has taken center stage in the national conversation To kick off the month and recognize some amazing workers the Florida Association of Managing Entities (FAME) a statewide organization that advocates for behavioral health issues is spotlighting Florida’s Behavioral Health Managing Entities (MEs) nearly 2.9 million adults a year experience a mental health condition and more than 700,000 Floridians live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia MEs are on the front lines providing needed care “Managing Entities are the engine behind Florida’s behavioral health care system They connect individuals to the right care at the right time and in the right place — regardless of ability to pay — while maximizing every dollar to serve more people across our state,” said Natalie Kelly MEs offer 24-hour access lines and mobile response teams crisis stabilization and centralized receiving facilities and give a big “thank you” to those helping their fellow Floridians in their time of need future generations across the state begin taking their first major steps into the workforce after a four-year academic experience — graduation weekend is here While many here in Tallahassee get ready to cross the stage let’s not forget about the Rattlers tossing their hats in the air down in Orlando While FAMU’s main campus is in Tallahassee the special future lawyers — Brianna Neblett Khadidja Diouf and Martika Major — are walking But the trio is celebrating more than just the next chapter of their lives They have also been recognized for impacting the community since their 1L days The three soon-to-be JDs dedicated their Saturday mornings to the Parramore Community Garden to help grow fresh produce for area families in need but the garden also became an extension of their legal education and passion for helping “The garden taught me that real change starts with small I saw how something as simple as showing up could make a difference in the soil It gave me hope and a sense of belonging and reminded me that service doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful,” said Neblett Neblett will begin her legal career as an associate at Simpson & Reed PLLC “I hope the garden continues to be a place where love My advice is to just show up — even small efforts can create lasting change It’s more than growing food; it’s about growing community the impact always reaches farther than you realize,” said Diouf who will begin her law career as an assistant public defender in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit who often led coordination efforts related to the garden and community and trust that your effort will help build something bigger than yourself.” Major deciding between serving as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 17th or 9th Judicial Circuits There might be some surf for the weekend between the Big Bend area and the Panhandle of Florida It’s not going to be very big, but it might be the right size for small wave gear such as longboards and standup paddleboards. The National Weather Service marine forecast for the Northwest Gulf notes a high-pressure system has settled over the region Winds should be manageable for Saturday and blowing out of the Southeast at 10 to 15 knots Those winds will drop to 10 knots or less out of the southeast on Sunday There will be some increase in surface conditions in the open Gulf with seas expected to mount to 3 to 5 feet knee-to-waist-high on those sandbars stretching from Apalachee Bay west to the Alabama border The waist-high projection may be wishful thinking in the end The swell height on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather buoy 42036, about 112 miles northwest of Tampa But the good news is the swell was directly out of the south which could make for some rideable waves lining up on those Gulf beaches facing south The water temperature is going upward now that we’re in May It’s already 75 degrees on the surface of open waters meaning it will likely be even warmer near shore You live and play in a great state; don’t waste it Danny Perez — Down arrow — If they practiced trust falls in the Rotunda Kathleen Passidomo — Crossways arrow — … well we’d wager at least 37 people agree with her Lawrence McClure — Down arrow — They have us yearning for J.D Wilton Simpson — Up arrow — The Farm Bill is more packed than a Bag of Holding these two don’t know the meaning of the word ‘quit.’ Jason Brodeur — Up arrow — MAGA-world says you’ve earned 30 minutes of gas blower time Darryl Rouson — Up arrow — Sometimes life shows you who your true friends are Mike Redondo — Up arrow — The Corcoran-Olivá rules are sooo last decade and JPM — Down arrow — A $1M bond won’t keep out-of-state AstroTurfers away Peggy Gossett-Seidman — Up arrow — Finally We’ve been wanting guaranteed pickleball-free zones for five years Lindsay Cross — Up arrow — Bring on the no-splash zone Shev Jones — Up arrow — South Florida Art Deco is not only alive and well Jason Shoaf — Up arrow — Leave it to the former NFL player to know about protecting student athletes Joe Casello — Up arrow — It took three sessions but his Comprehensive Waste Reduction & Recycling Plan made it through Wyman Duggan — Up arrow — FIVE has a box of wristbands with his name on it Christine Hunschofsky — Up arrow — Renters deserve protection against the elements Efficiency — Up arrow — It doesn’t mix well with red tape ‘Free kill’ families — Up arrow — It’s time to lawyer up Weather modification — Crossways arrow — Where’s the amendment banning Sharknados Lauren Book — Up arrow — Don’t ruin the fun with a Pearson check but statewide walks and gubernatorial bids have a high degree of correlation Rodney Barreto — Up arrow — It wasn’t pretty Rosie Cordero-Stutz — Up arrow — Miami-Dade’s first elected Sheriff in decades and Public Affairs Consultants’ Erin Ballas are an unbeatable combo Daniel Foganholi — Crossways arrow — Wait … the op-ed came out AFTER April 17 Erin Smeltzer — Up arrow — A record-setting Celebration of the Hands a sold-out awards ceremony and a new high for Teen Day Amy Zubaly — Up arrow — Good news: The Lineman Rodeo doesn’t need to add an MMA segment Bowen Kou — Down arrow — *In Trump’s voice: “Chinnnnaaaa.” Kentucky Derby parties — Up arrow — Bust out the seersucker Cinco de Mayo parties — Up arrow — Pass the guac and Modelo because talks of Special Sessions aren’t invited to the party Daisy — — She’s getting all the treats when she gets home Jason Trumbower — Up arrow — FSUPD didn’t hesitate Will Weatherford — Up arrow — We wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a stadium named after him one day and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN A large crowd gathered in the FAMU Way Playground near Railroad Square became a scene of chaos and gunfire the night of May 2 It happened less than an hour after the conclusion of the Square's monthly "First Friday" event which celebrates the arts at the opening of each month a watch commander for the Tallahassee Police Department told the Democrat that the department was called to the area at about 9:50 p.m The city's online crime tracking map that chronicles dispatch calls flagged a "weapons/firearms" call to the 600 block of FAMU Way She said there were no "significant injuries," though when officers arrived they found a large crowd and bullet casings on the ground though police do not believe it was from a bullet wound There are no suspects or arrests at this time One video of the scene circulating on social media shows a large crowd running after the sound of five rapid-fire gunshots Another video shows a large fight in the crowd spilling into the street before the shooting when people start screaming and running for cover Police later clarified that witnesses said the gunshots were fired into the air during the fight and that a person sustained "abrasions" while taking cover The gunfire came after the close of the First Friday celebration that draws crowds to the arts district between 6 and 9 p.m who owns Railroad Square with her brother Adam She told the Democrat the incident took place in the city playground on FAMU Way that abuts Railroad Square after festival security had gone home for the night "We take security very seriously at First Friday which has been put on monthly for nearly 25 years without any significant incident," she wrote "Two police officers and four private security officers are hired for every First Friday."  She said organizers have reported regular gatherings of youths "multiple times" as a "security concern." "It is extremely frustrating that we are doing so much to provide a safe yet our concerns about the neighboring city-owned property which we don't hold the responsibility for have not been attended to," she said in a statement "We are hopeful that the city will now take these concerns seriously and either make the neighboring playground area extremely well-lit or officially close it after dark which would allow police officers to tell anyone to leave who is there at that time." The shooting is at least the 22nd serious shooting this year in the capital city and county. Thus far, nine have been killed and at least 14 have been injured, according to a Tallahassee Democrat analysis of gun violence. About 24 hours earlier, a man was found dead of a gunshot wound south of downtown on Palmetto Street. William Hatfield is editor of the Tallahassee Democrat. Email him at whatfield@tallahassee.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTALLAHASSEE (WCTV) - The Tallahassee Police Department is investigating a homicide following a deadly shooting Thursday night on the city’s south side Officers responded to the 200 block of Palmetto Street around 9:30 p.m and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound Police officers immediately began providing life-saving measures to the victim TPD is asking anyone with any information regarding this shooting to call 850-891-4200 you can call Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More (AP) — Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is used to getting his way in the state capital with a tight grip on the GOP-controlled Legislature where once-pliant lawmakers hustled his priorities and helped him build his national brand DeSantis' second-to-last legislative session in Tallahassee has been defined by interparty squabbles that spilled out into the open as the Legislature's GOP leaders sparred with each other and openly defied the term-limited governor members of DeSantis' own party launched an investigation into the signature initiative of his wife accused a key ally of the governor of criminal conspiracy and advanced measures aimed at reining in his administration Despite enjoying a GOP supermajority in both chambers legislative leaders failed to pass the one bill Florida law requires ahead of the scheduled end of the regular session on Friday dragging their negotiations into the night before announcing a budget framework shortly before 10 p.m the Legislature will return to Tallahassee for an extended session scheduled to last through June 6 to hammer out a spending deal ahead of the July 1 start of the next fiscal year Republicans have a political trifecta in Tallahassee with the sheer might to ram bills through over the protests of their Democratic colleagues GOP leaders simply could not reconcile their different philosophies on tax policy in time to reach an agreement on the state budget The House began negotiations with a $113 billion spending plan compared to the Senate's $117.4 billion proposal and the governor's projected $115.6 billion budget The main sticking point was how to cut taxes with House Speaker Daniel Perez calling for a permanent .75% reduction in the state's sales tax a proposal Senate President Ben Albritton had balked at But after hours of prolonged negotiations Friday legislative leaders announced a joint framework for a budget deal they say will come in lower than the governor's proposal and include $2.8 billion in tax relief both chambers passed 205 bill and resolutions this session Among the bills lawmakers approved are a measure creating new hurdles for citizen-driven ballot initiatives reforms easing the financial burden on condominium owners grappling with new safety regulations following the Surfside condo collapse in 2021 a measure banning fluoride in public drinking water systems and a bill allowing additional execution methods to carry out the state’s death penalty Lawmakers also advanced measures aimed at curbing the power of the governor veto or allow to become law without his signature Legislators could revive bills axed by the governor if two-thirds of both chambers vote to override his veto They took that step in January to overturn some of DeSantis' line-item vetoes of last year's budget a move seen as a bold act of defiance Among the bills that could spark DeSantis' ire is a measure that would restrict development in state parks following bipartisan backlash over a DeSantis administration proposal to build golf courses pickleball courts and hotels in state parks lawmakers in DeSantis’ own party scrutinized the welfare program that is his wife's signature initiative Representatives began investigating Hope Florida amid revelations its foundation gave $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement to two nonprofits Those groups in turn gave millions to a political committee which campaigned against a failed referendum on recreational marijuana That is the average cost to Florida taxpayers for each day lawmakers have to come back to Tallahassee to carry out the public's business outside of a regular session according to a spokesperson for the state Senate Under the plan legislative leaders hashed out on Friday lawmakers will return the week of May 12 for the extended session The partnership between Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare and Florida State University is not just a good idea - it is a necessary evolution for the future of healthcare Rather than a question of ownership or ego this collaboration represents a forward-thinking mutually beneficial opportunity to elevate both institutions while preserving TMH’s identity as a community-centered hospital Here are some critical points that helped me reach this conclusion Enhancing community healthcare through academic excellence A partnership allows TMH to remain an independent non-profit hospital while leveraging the research power and academic strength of a major university such as FSU FSU’s growing medical program needs a strong stable clinical partner to give students real-world training TMH already delivers care to patients from 23 counties—it is well-positioned to serve as a regional academic medical hub that balances cutting-edge research with compassionate That vision can only be realized through strategic partnership Aligning with local desires and leadership My understanding is that the majority of local doctors and prominent medical professionals have voiced strong support for a partnership model It keeps TMH community-driven while also expanding educational and professional opportunities This partnership with TMH and FSU medical program under the right partnership and leadership could create a top-tier hospital without sacrificing its local values as a community hospital Driving economic growth and workforce development FSU is not only an educational institution - it’s one of the region’s largest economic engines and retains medical professionals in the region — benefitting patients and the broader economy Full FSU ownership of TMH introduces complexities that could undercut community control ensures Tallahassee maintains a say in its healthcare future while embracing collaboration A well-structured partnership honors the voices of residents It keeps healthcare decisions local while preparing the next generation of doctors It brings together world-class research and trusted patient care Let us not allow political noise or power plays derail a promising and long-overdue opportunity A TMH-FSU partnership is not only the logical path — it’s the right one for Tallahassee to maintain a community hospital DeVoe Moore is a Tallahassee businessman and philanthropist. Contact him at devoe@tacm.com Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to letters@tallahassee.com. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at Tallahassee.com/Zing. Submissions are published on a space-available basis and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK Capital city and county leaders gathered May 1 to answer the most pressing questions on residents' minds elected leaders covered topics across the board including Leon County and Tallahassee's preparedness for extreme weather this year violent crime and who should hold the keys to the local hospital Curtis Richardson and Jeremy Matlow and County Commissioners Brian Welch Rick Minor and Carolyn Cummings each weighed in and commissioners said city and county efforts to address the issue are working and I'm sure there's more that can be done to address this issue," Richardson said the conversation would look very different Investing in the Capital Region Real-Time Crime Center increasing the number of Tallahassee Police officers and more has made a big impact it's a problem that you're never going to ultimately solve," Welch said "You just have to do the best you can to reach as many people as you can." But while violent crime has been on the decline, a crackdown on illegal immigration has dominated headlines. Commissioners were questioned about their thoughts on local law enforcement agreements to join Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that are spreading fear and concern among many residents. The decision to enter into the agreements sparked public controversy, but Williams-Cox said "we also have to take into consideration the climate of our governor." "We later learned from our city attorney's office that we must comply with the governor's order; therefore The panel moderator asked Proctor what kind of feedback he's been hearing throughout his community and he said what immigrants are experiencing is something familiar "The people in my community are often picked up for being Black and so being picked up for being Hispanic is sort of a new twist," Proctor said Richardson said the city has done what's "minimally required" by only dedicating one officer to the initiative arresting them and sending them places that we don't know where they're going," he said Richardson added that the DeSantis administration threatened Fort Myers commissioners with suspension from office if they did not comply and approve the agreement O'Keefe opposed a go-along to get-along approach and said more needed to be done to resist this "We have the duty to speak up when basic fairness is being ignored," he said It's important that the city and county do everything they legally can to ensure people in the community don't live in fear The question still remains: As the city considers divesting its ownership of Tallahassee's community hospital what is the best outcome for healthcare in the community According to Matlow, it's keeping Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare locally owned. There have been "shady backroom antics" between city staff and Florida State University as news broke that the city might consider a sale of TMH and FSU expressed interest shortly after Matlow supports the idea of a partnership between the university and hospital instead of FSU ownership: "As soon as we sell our hospital away your elected officials no longer have a say in healthcare in our community." Richardson countered that the city really has "nothing to do with the day-to-day operation," even though the city owns the hospital and all of its assets as part of a decades-old $1-a-year lease deal The commission just periodically approves appointments to the hospital's board of directors "There has been absolutely zero discussion of selling TMH," Richardson said "It has never come before the city commission." Williams-Cox said high quality healthcare is needed for everyone in the community patients are forced to look beyond the city limits for care "What I want is to not have to go somewhere else," she said I don't care who does it; whoever is the best fit for our community." Tallahassee weathered tornadoes and hurricanes and as the community approaches the one-year anniversary of the twisters that killed two storm preparedness is of utmost importance Both city and county commissioners touted the emergency management divisions and said both local governments learned a lot from Tallahassee and Leon County's run-ins with extreme weather Richardson said something the city has been doing differently in recent years is hosting "preparedness activities" for residents and property owners "That's what we try to do is encourage our residents and our property owners to be prepared in the event of those cases," he said Minor noted that Leon County has been named "Hurricane Strong," a designation "I think we're the first county in the United States to earn." But a "big concern" is the budget cuts at the federal level that will cut into Florida's resilience "Unfortunately the national cuts are going to affect us locally and throughout the entire state," Minor said He said the county is closely monitoring the decisions being made at the federal level and will act accordingly once they're officially made the best course of action for residents is to reach out to local members of Congress "We have representatives that we hire at the federal and state level to lobby for funding and make sure that we fight cuts like this," O'Keefe said Saving Railroad SquareThe tornadoes last May plowed down numerous homes and businesses in Tallahassee but one of the most impacted areas was the capital city and county's beloved art district And the art park's uncertain future is still unfolding a year later Due to the extent of the damage and lack of insurance on several of the warehouses that created the quirky art district waved the white flag and started asking for help to save the unique space The city was given the first right of refusal to purchase the property before it was shopped to private developers Commissioners were asked at the town hall what they think should happen to the area now saying the land is privately owned and the city would need "a good public reason" to take over the land the city's Community Redevelopment Agency has decided not to move forward thinks the local government should intervene and has been trying to work closely with artists to "formulate a vision of what that art district could be." "Most cities that are thriving in the United States have some kind of place where people can go and bring their families and engage with the art community," he said "We don't really have that in Tallahassee." The property should be embraced and developed into something everyone is proud of Matlow encouraged his county colleagues to step in if they deemed it necessary because he too thinks it should be a community priority "I'm tired of seeing local artists move to other communities because they can get a job there and thrive there," Matlow said Cummings said Leon County has always been supportive of the arts and while this is the city's domain and the county doesn't get much say the county would be "very supportive of any initiative to cultivate that area into a thriving art district." Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa A May 4 fight inside Flamingoz on Call Street led to a shootout in a parking lot that left two injured according to an incident alert from the Tallahassee Police Department officers monitoring a crowd at Flamingoz Bar were alerted to a large fight inside the venue gunfire was reported in an adjacent parking lot and officers were able to locate multiple shell casings two individuals arrived at a local hospital one person sustained injuries associated with being trampled while the other sustained a gunshot wound to the forearm Both individuals were treated and released no suspects have been determined and no arrests have been made It was the second instance of mass panic from gunfire over the weekend Two nights earlier on May 2, officers responded to reports of gunfire near the other Flamingoz in Railroad Square The initial call notes to TPD stated a person had been shot but his injuries were determined to be abrasions sustained while taking cover Witnesses reported that a fight in a nearby park escalated when a male discharged a firearm into the air approximately five times before all parties fled," TPD wrote in an online incident alert about the shooting somewhere in the 600 block of FAMU Way There are no current suspects or arrests in that case either Railroad Square owner Lily Kaye emphasized that the May 2 shooting which came about an hour after the conclusion of the monthly First Friday festival The May 4 shooting is at least the 23rd serious shooting this year in the capital city and county. Thus far, nine have been killed and at least 17 have been injured, according to a Tallahassee Democrat analysis of gun violence. Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero Investigators say the 20-year-old son of a sheriff’s deputy opened fire at Florida State University with his mother’s former service weapon killing two people and wounding at least six others (April 18 2025) (AP Video: Sharon Johnson) Physicians and surgeons of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare held a press briefing Friday to provide updates on the 6 injured patients rushed to the hospital following a mass shooting event at Florida State University that occurred a day prior Fear and panic at Florida State as deadly shooting sends students fleeing President Donald Trump called the Florida State University shooting Thursday that killed two people and wounded at least six others a “shame,” but said he won’t be advocating for any new gun legislation and will “always protect the Second Amendment.” Florida State University junior said he panicked for a moment after hearing the active shooter alarm as he was studying in the library Students gather on a stretch of sidewalk near the center of the Florida State campus in sight of the Student Union building A student mourns during a vigil on the Florida State campus at Langford Green The day after an active shooter on campus Florida State students place electronic candles on a platform during a vigil on campus at Langford Green A student places heart-shaped balloons near the Florida State Student Union building The day after an active shooter on campus Florida State president Richard McCullough addresses a vigil on campus at Langford Green A sign that reads “Forever Stands Unconquered,” is placed among flowers near the Florida State Student Union building Students leave after retrieving their personal items from the Florida State Student Union Students place flowers on a stretch of sidewalk near the center of the Florida State campus in sight of the Student Union building Students carry flowers near the Florida State Student Union building The day after an active shooter on campus Florida State held a vigil on campus at Langford Green A student places a candle near the Florida State Student Union building Students wait to retrieve their personal items from the Florida State Student Union building A student places flowers near the Florida State Student Union building addresses the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church congregation about the shooting at Florida State University before a Good Friday service Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey addresses the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church congregation about the shooting at Florida State University before a Good Friday service Flowers placed by students sit near police tape near the Florida State Student Union building Flowers placed by students sit next to a sign for the Florida State Student Union building Flags flown at half-staff near the Florida State Student Union building Students and staff on Friday were allowed into buildings near the shooting to retrieve their belongings which police ordered left behind in the immediate chaotic aftermath Florida State student Joshua Sirmans says he was first alerted when he heard what he thought was the fire alarm go off Geology major Josh Jontiff collected his backpack containing his laptop and other materials from his calculus class a few hundred yards (meters) from the shooting scene When projector screens in the classroom flashed a message about an active shooter on Thursday “we all filed to one side of the room and turned the lights off,” Jontiff said Police officers with guns drawn then banged on the door and led the group outside with their hands on their heads “It was a very scary situation,” Jontiff said “I tried to keep calm and keep others around me calm.” a steady stream of students and others brought flowers teddy bears and candles to a memorial near the student union Among them were three members of the Florida State women’s volleyball team who held hands in a brief prayer circle “I don’t think any words can do it justice,” said Audrey Rothman said she was lifting weights in a gym when she heard the gunshots They were locked down in the gym for hours “I don’t think I’ve fully processed what happened yet.” Bethel Missionary Baptist Church began a Good Friday service with prayers for the shooting victims and families Holmes said he visited victims at the hospital with Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey “We’re not going to emphasize the tragedy,” Holmes said “We’re going to emphasize hope and healing I said to the students we will be there for them.” university President Richard McCullough called for a moment of silence for the victims and the campus community “These have been some of the hardest days that Florida State University has ever faced,” McCullough said “This terrible act of violence shook our community and Florida flags statewide to be flown at half-staff until sunset on Monday in memory of the “lives lost in this tragedy and to recognize the bravery shown by the first responders.” He was also a former assistant football coach at nearby Leon High School a married father of two children from Greenville a spokesman for attorneys hired by the family Medical staff who treated the injured at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said at a news conference that all six patients are expected to make full recoveries They said two patients are expected to be discharged Friday Three patients have been upgraded to good condition and one patient remains in fair condition The hospital did not clarify the condition of the shooter who police officials said Thursday was being treated at a local hospital Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil identified the suspect as Phoenix Ikner the stepson of a sheriff’s deputy within his department McNeil said the deputy’s former service weapon was used in the shooting and found at the scene McNeil said Ikner was a long-standing member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council and engaged in a number of training programs with the office He added that the suspect’s stepmother has been with the sheriff’s office for over 18 years “We will make sure that we do everything we can to prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will never be tolerated here in Leon County and I dare say across the state and across this nation,” McNeil said The university confirmed Friday that Ikner was a student enrolled for the spring 2025 semester after transferring from Tallahassee State College where he earned an associates degree last fall He was a junior studying political science FSU spokeswoman Amy Farnum-Patronis said via email Authorities have not yet revealed a motive for the shooting People comfort each other on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee where law enforcement responded to a reported active shooter incident Thursday his parents were involved in several custody disputes with his biological mother said she was taking him to South Florida for spring break in 2015 but instead traveled to Norway she pleaded no contest to removing a minor from the state against a court order and was sentenced to 200 days in jail Eriksen filed a civil libel-slander complaint against Jessica Ikner accused them of harassing Eriksen and abusing Ikner’s position at the sheriff’s office the suspect received court approval to change his name from Christian Eriksen to Phoenix Ikner His old name was a constant reminder of a “tragedy” he suffered in the words of administrative magistrate James Banks emotionally and physically mature young adult who is very articulate” and “very polite” said he chose the new name as a representation of “rising from the ashes anew.” Deputy Jessica Ikner of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office was 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away at Raa Middle School where she was on duty as a school resource officer A sheriff’s office spokesperson said Ikner worked to secure the campus to prevent anyone from entering as Raa went into “lockout mode,” along with all of the county’s public schools the deputy was reassigned to the sheriff’s office’s property crimes unit spokesperson Shonda Knight told The Associated Press Ikner requested and was granted personal leave Associated Press writers Kate Payne and Curt Anderson in Tallahassee David Fischer and Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale Eric Tucker and Christopher Megerian in Washington nicknamed "Operation Tidal Wave," targets people in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and the cities of Tampa All of them are areas with high immigrant populations "The records do not explain in detail how the federal government chose its targets but do say that authorities are trying to detain 'criminal individuals or immigration violators' that have final deportation orders," the media sources said the operation led to about 800 arrests of undocumented immigrants which posted on X that the "first-of-its-kind partnership between state and federal partners" represented "a massive "Florida is leading the nation in active cooperation with the Trump administration for immigration enforcement and deportation operations!" DeSantis wrote on X Immigration crackdown: Florida officials seek Trump’s help in speeding up the deporting of more immigrants ICE declined to say how many people have been detained in the operation so far “The agency publicly announces the results of operations when appropriate,” an ICE spokesperson said ICE has been collaborating with Homeland Security Investigations Department of Homeland Security which acts as ICE's primary investigative arm Nearly 230 Florida law enforcement agencies city police departments and college and university campus police,e have signed 287(g) agreements More than 130 of the currently active agreements are under the task force model which allows law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight and detaining people suspected of violating federal immigration laws "State and local law enforcement have a legal duty to assist with the enforcement of federal immigration laws," Gov Ron DeSantis said at a press conference in Manatee County in March Florida Highway Patrol pulls somebody over on a highway who's driving drunk Being able to just transport them to ICE and get them out is the easiest way to do it." which oversaw the passage of a harsh immigration law in 2024 has been pressuring local governments to comply and law enforcement to sign on Gov. DeSantis: Sheriffs now able to enforce immigration laws under new agreement with feds What does ICE stand for? What is it?The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created in 2003 under the Department of Homeland Security to protect the U.S from cross-border crime and illegal immigration ICE enforces the nation's complex Title 8 immigration laws inside the country and U.S Customs and Border Protection handles it at the nation's borders ICE has more than 20,000 law enforcement officers and an annual budget of about $8 billion The Trump administration, however, deputized thousands more federal law enforcement officers to help with his goal of mass deportations and many local law enforcement agencies have agreed to coordinate and cooperate with the efforts including to secure their presence for immigration proceedings and removal from the United States," the agency says on its website "ICE also detains those who are subject to mandatory detention under U.S immigration law and those a supervisor has determined are public safety or flight risks." On April 16, a Georgia native with an ID and Social Security card on him was arrested in Florida's Panhandle under a blocked Florida immigration law The family of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez presented his birth certificate to a judge who agreed it was valid but said she had no power over his release Lopez-Gomez was finally released after 30 hours in prison The National Immigration Resource Center recommends: You, your family or emergency contacts can contact the local ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office to initiate an ICE Case Review process. You can find your local ERO office here Everyone living in the United States has certain rights and protections provided by the U.S according to the American Civil Liberties Union The hospital expects to release two more later Monday and said a sixth patient was in good condition None of the victims have been identified, but one, Madison Askins gave an interview over the weekend and described how she pretended to be dead to avoid getting shot again remote options would be available for many courses and attendance policies would be waived Specific class information will be provided by instructors by Monday evening "Students: If you decide not to attend classes this week "The university has waived all mandatory attendance polices that affect your grade." Students choosing not to attend should contact their instructors to learn how to complete any required coursework The upcoming week of classes is the last before finals Here's what we know about the shooting as of Monday "Thanks for giving us a week off for snow (in January) and one day off for a mass shooting You guys really care," one person commented on the school's Instagram post I RAN FOR MY LIFE AND NOW I HAVE TO GO BACK A FEW DAYS LATER????" More: FSU students blast decision to start classes Monday; president says teachers will be flexible The university sent out an alert to students and faculty at 12:01 p.m as law enforcement quickly descended on the campus Ikner was eventually shot by law enforcement and taken to the hospital according to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell Students were released from a shelter-in-place request after law enforcement cleared the campus The shooting claimed the lives of Robert Morales, an FSU employee and high school football coach, and Tiru Chabba a married father of two from South Carolina One of the victims, Madison Askins told CBS Evening News in an interview from her hospital bed that she "played dead" to avoid being shot again by Ikner I remember my parents telling me I just need to play dead God forbid it," Askins told a CBS reporter in an interview from her hospital bed at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare 'I just need to play dead': Florida State University student on surviving campus shooting A vigil held on campus Friday afternoon drew thousands to honor the victims. On Easter Sunday, students packed the pews for Easter Mass FSU shooting timeline: What happened at Florida State University?Tallahassee police provided a timeline of the April 17 shooting at Florida State University The Florida State University shooting took what loved ones described as a big-hearted man Robert Morales, the university's dining coordinator was one of the two people shot and killed during the mass shooting that shook the university and community Robert was a long-time special teams coach for Leon High School’s football program and a partner in local favorite Gordos Cuban Cuisine The second victim in the April 17 mass shooting at FSU has been identified as Tiru Chabba Chabba was identified via email by The Strom Law Firm retained by the family to "ensure that all those who bear responsibility for this senseless act of violence are held to account." Chabba was on the FSU campus Thursday as an employee of a campus vendor when he was shot and killed by Phoenix Ikner He is survived by his wife and two children Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said the shooter was 20-year-old FSU student Ikner the stepson of Leon County Deputy Jessica Ikner Ikner changed his name when he was 15 following a troubled childhood marked by decades-long custody battles between his parents that included his biological mother spending about five months in jail for taking him against his will to Norway Phoenix Ikner said he had hopes of rising from the “ashes” of his childhood Ikner attended Lincoln High School and was a long-standing member of the 2021-22 Leon County Sheriff's Office Youth Advisory Council as a high school junior. Sheriff Walt McNeil said Phoenix was “steeped in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office family.” Jessica Ikner, a middle school deputy, practiced shooting with her stepson though "not in an official capacity," according to the Leon County Sheriff's Office Deputy Ikner is currently on personal leave and is being reassigned and that was one of the weapons found at the scene We are continuing our investigation as to how that weapon was used and what other weapons perhaps he may have had access to," McNeil said during a press conference Ikner is still hospitalized after being shot by law enforcement once he is released and transferred to the county jail What was the motive behind Phoenix Ikner's shooting Suspected shooter had troubling fascination with hate groupsIkner's motive is still unknown "The suspect invoked his rights not to speak to us," Revell said at the press conference According to USA TODAY students who knew Ikner were horrified but "weren't shocked given things he had said publicly." In the aftermath of the shooting on Thursday, people who knew Ikner said he had a history of espousing radical conspiracy theories and hateful ideas The president of a student politics club said Ikner “espoused so much white supremacist rhetoric” that they booted him from the group By the time Ikner had enrolled in Tallahassee State College last year in 2024, other students said he was expressing extremist conspiracy theories and hateful ideas and was once kicked out of a "political round table" club for what one student claimed was frequent white supremacist and far-right rhetoric The suspected FSU gunman held a fascination with Hitler, Nazis and other hate groups according to screenshots of his online activity captured by the Anti-Defamation League grew into death squads and ran the concentration camps where millions of Jews were murdered More: New records show suspected FSU shooter had troubling fascination with hate groups The FSU shooting occurred nearly 26 years to the day of one of the deadliest most infamous school shootings: the attack and attempted bombing at Columbine High School in Colorado two 12th-grade students murdered twelve students and one teacher the deadliest mass shooting at a K-12 school in history to that point The Columbine High School massacre has been the inspiration for dozens of copycat shooters several of whom specifically planned for the anniversary Florida State University is located in the state's capital It is found in the middle of the Panhandle between Jacksonville and Pensacola The main campus of Florida State University is officially located at 600 W College Ave despite online rumors of multiple shooters Viral video shows girl sipping Starbucks while walking past body Is it real?A video has gone viral across social media showing someone walking past a wounded bleeding woman lying face down on the grass Rather than stopping to help or even running away from an active shooter as what sounds like two shots are fired in the background the person walks by while sipping from a Starbucks cup While officials believe the video is authentic the Tallahassee Democrat is not running the video due to its graphic content and because it has not been verified as real or related to the FSU shooting See reactions: Viral video after FSU shooting seems to show person sipping coffee while passing wounded victim The FBI has set up a tip line for anyone with information about the shooting that happened at FSU Anyone with video or audio media related to the incident can upload it here. (This story was updated with new information.) The alleged shooter was shot in a confrontation with first responders and taken to a local hospital The surviving student victims were listed in fair condition is the stepson of a veteran Leon County Sheriff's deputy Phoenix Ikner, born Christian Gunnar Eriksen is a political science student at FSU and the son of a Tallahassee man and a Miami woman who had dual Norwegian citizenship The couple split three years after his birth and Ikner stayed with his father although his mother took him to Norway in 2015 against court orders She was arrested on a charge of removing a minor from the state during a custody proceeding given more than two months in jail and ordered to stay away from her son and pay $31,000 in restitution Ikner later called that a “tragic event” in his life and requested to legally change his name to get a fresh start when he was a 15-year-old student at Lincoln High School leading to one of many court clashes between his parents Ikner is the stepson of Leon County deputy Jessica Ikner a resource deputy at Raa Middle School and a veteran of more than 18 years Earlier reports described her as Ikner's mother “Her service to this community has been exceptional,” Leon County Sheriff Walter A McNeil said in a press conference hours after the shooting Ikner himself spent a lot of time around the sheriff's office When he was still at Lincoln High SchooI, Ikner was one of eight students to join the LCSO’s youth advisory council “He has been steeped in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office family so it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons,” McNeil said “This event is tragic in more ways than you people in the audience could ever [fathom] from a law enforcement perspective.” Tallahassee police provided a timeline of the April 17 shooting at Florida State University "This weapon was a weapon that the deputy previously used," Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said at the press conference allowed officers to purchase their previous handguns if new ones are issued "This was a handgun that that deputy used prior to them transitioning to a new handgun and so it was her personal handgun," he said LCSO will be internally investigating the incident the sheriff said there's no cause for deputy Jessica Ikner to be suspended McNeil said they were continuing the investigation into how that weapon was used and what other weapons Ikner may have had access to." A shotgun was recovered at the scene but it is unclear if he used both weapons Jessica Ikner, a middle school deputy, practiced shooting with her son, Phoenix Ikner Sheriff Walt McNeil said Phoenix was “steeped in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office family.” He served on the agency’s Youth Advisory Council and “being the son of law enforcement meant he was constantly exposed to firearm safety,” LCSO spokesperson Shonda Knight said Jessica Ikner is currently on personal leave and is being reassigned  “sensitivity of the matter and to make sure she is properly acclimated under the circumstances,” Knight said Ikner was known by other classmates for espousing extremist conspiracy theories and hateful ideas and was once kicked out of a "political round table" club for what one student claimed was frequent white supremacist and far-right rhetoric These included theories that President Joe Biden illegally came into office “Rosa Parks was in the wrong,” and Black people were ruining his neighborhood according to fellow politics student Lucas Luzietti who shared classes with him at Tallahassee Community College before they moved to FSU “I remember thinking this man should not have access to firearms,” Luzietti told USA TODAY His mother was a cop and Florida doesn’t have very strong red flag laws.” Ikner made it clear to the class that he had guns Ikner was quoted in the student paper in an article about a Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) march over President Donald Trump’s inauguration “These people are usually pretty entertaining usually not for good reasons,” Ikner said then he’s [Trump] already going to be inaugurated on Jan 20 and there’s not really much you can do unless you outright revolt An Instagram account apparently belonging to Ikner my weapon for battle; with you I shatter nations (This story was updated with new information) The 20-year-old son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy used his mother's gun to go on a shooting rampage on Florida State University's Tallahassee campus Thursday killing two people and wounding six others The alleged shooter was himself shot and taken to a local hospital The first reports of a shooting came in around noon the university was telling the campus community "law enforcement has neutralized the threat" but warned that multiple buildings were still "active crime scenes." authorities said they had "secured" the campus This is a developing news story and is being updated continuously The shock and sadness was palpable as students began to gather near Florida State University’s student union building as the sun set Thursday evening Others wandered over in pairs or with groups of friends Others left letters and lit candles to honor the victims and comfort the survivors This is their story When panicked students fled for safety they left backpacks Students will be able to recover their belongings Friday The campus community will be able to retrieve personal belongings from select campus buildings between 10 a.m "Be prepared to produce a photo ID to claim your belongings," the university wrote on FSU Alert All campus buildings will be locked but university faculty and volunteers will be on site at each of the following locations to assist individuals with claiming their belongings: Bellamy Building  EAOS Building  Carothers Building  Dirac Science Library  FSU Student Union  Strozier Library  HCB Classroom Building  Leach Center  Longmire Building  Love Building  Montgomery Hall  Moore Auditorium  Rovetta Business A&B  Thagard Building If your belongings were left in another campus building not on this list or if you are unable to retrieve your belongings on Friday The university will open a Support Center at the Askew Student Life Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m Counseling and Victim’s Advocate services will be available and staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance The university will hold a vigil for the victims at 5 p.m at Langford Green in front of the Unconquered Statue After visiting injured FSU students at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said the students were very grateful to the campus community "They love FSU and are very comfortable FSU's gonna take care of them," he said The students are all listed in fair condition "But they are confident this hospital will take care of them Tallahassee is blessed with the system they have here." Scott was governor during the 2014 FSU shooting at Strozier Library the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting and the 2018 Parkland shooting He said as a result the legislature passed historic bills that were signed into law better mental health services with risk assessment tests and active shooter drills This year's legislature has pondered rolling back some of those laws including a prohibition that prevents 18-year-olds from owning long guns but every legislature gets to decide what they want to do," he said When asked what his message was for FSU students he said "I can't say I know what everyone went through but my heart goes out because people were traumatized by this." FSU updates campus community after shooting7:21 p.m – The university posted late Thursday on its Alerts website: "All classes on the main Florida State University campus in Tallahassee are cancelled Thursday April 18 due to a shooting at the Student Union Employees should check with their supervisors to determine if they are essential personnel and for further reporting instructions." It added: "The Student Union and the surrounding area is still considered an active crime scene The public and campus community should avoid the area Students should not return to the Student Union to retrieve personal property at this time Students may return to their residence halls but they should otherwise stay indoors on the main campus to allow law enforcement and university staff to do their jobs and respond to those needing assistance Seminole Cafe and dining options in the Honors Building are open until 8 p.m "The following buildings are currently CLOSED: Student Union Individuals should not return to these buildings to retrieve personal property at this time Individuals are free to move about other areas of campus "All victims’ families have been contacted. Many individuals have been separated from their belongings, including their personal cell phones, as a result of today’s events. We continue to urge all students and staff to contact their family members as soon as possible to let them know they are safe and well. Individuals who left belongings in buildings during the incident should fill out the survey at this link fla.st/55ONDDIT Individuals who fill out the survey will be notified of the process to collect their belongings Friday  "All FSU athletics events in Tallahassee are canceled through Sunday." 6:19 p.m. – In an open letter to the FSU community university President Richard McCullough shared the experience of a "tragic and senseless act of violence at the heart of our campus." an active shooter opened fire at the Student Union We are holding close those who are injured and we are standing by everyone who is hurting "I’ve been in constant contact with our law enforcement and emergency teams since the incident began along with the Tallahassee Police Department FSU Police contained the threat and prevented even greater tragedy I am grateful for their courage and professionalism and staff who were nearby and are now trying to make sense of what they experienced And it means every person in our campus community who is feeling shaken or overwhelmed "We are working closely with our leadership and mental health professionals to ensure that everyone has the support they need please reach out to our Counseling & Psychological Services team at (850) 644-TALK (8255) "There will be more updates in the days ahead 5:30 p.m. – Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a video statement on X on behalf of himself and First Lady Casey DeSantis regarding the FSU shooting "Casey and I stand in solidarity and are praying for the entire Florida state community We're mourning the two individuals who lost their lives in this tragic attack and we wish well those who are currently recovering in the hospital This killer must and will be brought to justice to the fullest extent of the law "I want to also thank the law enforcement personnel who were on the scene both for the university as well as for the city of Tallahassee They stopped this killer from inflicting more harm and there is no question that they saved lives We stand by to help in any way that we can God bless you and God bless Florida State University." showed he and his wife had visited TMH at 6 p.m He also logged phone calls earlier in the day with FSU President Richard McCullough (1:20 p.m.) and FSU Board of Trustees chair Peter Collins (1:30) he had a call with FBI Director Kash Patel Live law enforcement press conference on FSU shootingUpdate on shooting victims' condition4:56 p.m – In a new public statement on the shooting Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred today at FSU and everyone impacted by this heartbreaking situation." The hospital "TMH has six patients related to this incident all of which are currently in fair condition Our dedicated trauma teams are providing the highest level of care to all patients and we remain fully mobilized to meet their needs We continue to work closely with emergency responders and public safety officials Out of respect for patient privacy and to ensure the accuracy of information "We ask for the community’s support and compassion during this difficult time." – Law enforcement officials now have confirmed two people dead and six injured in Thursday's shooting on the Tallahassee campus of Florida State University The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner an FSU student and the son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy He used an old service weapon belonging to his mother a school resource deputy for Raa Middle School He was shot by first responders and taken to TMH "This is a tragic day for Florida State University," said FSU President Richard McCullough "We're absolutely heartbroken by the violence." Ikner was quoted in an FSView/Florida Flambeau this January reacting to a Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) march on campus (Trump is) already going to be inaugurated on Jan The FBI also has launched an online tip line: www.fbi.gov/fsushooting "If you have any video or audio media related to the incident – Students who were on campus during the active shooter situation at Florida State University on April 17 that has left six injured The event was still unfolding as of 3:15 p.m Thursday with "shelter in place" alerts still remaining on campus These scenes have become all too familiar in Florida where the Parkland shooting occurred just seven years ago and FSU was home to a shooting some years ago Read the full story here – An event at Florida State University designed to promote safety on campus and among FSU students was canceled − due to an active shooting at FSU on the day of The active shooting occurred on the day of the "United Against Hate" event that sheds a light on 21-year-old Maura Binkley a senior at FSU who was one of two victims killed Nov in the Tallahassee hot yoga studio shooting Nancy Van Vessem died after a gunman with a long history of abusive behavior and hatred against women opened fire in the hot yoga studio Read the full story here Turnbull Conference Center on West Pensacola Street a senior studying media and communications was in the basement of the FSU Student Union during a billiards class He said someone came running into the billiard hall from the bowling alley that’s also in the basement had barricaded themselves in the restrooms there “They were concerned that something had happened,” said Cheyne He said a teacher came into the billiard hall “We waited in there for about 10 or 15 minutes even as he described himself as “frightened.” and then got a call from police saying that we’d be getting out of the building.” The group moved behind the bowling alley first then waited a little longer before being escorted outside by police Cheyne said he saw one man on the ground in handcuffs friends and loved ones messaged him to make sure he was OK and the Lakeland native said he was planning to pack a bag and go home for a few days to spend the Easter holiday with his family he’d been working on a written reflection of his time at the school “It made me thankful” to attend a school he loved “To think someone would try to harm this beautiful community in Tallahassee makes me sad and makes me wonder what’s wrong with them.” 3:23 p.m. – The latest from FSU Alerts: "Law enforcement has neutralized the threat Hecht House and Carraway as they are still considered an active crime scene Individuals are free to move about other areas of campus." Those who may have "witnessed anything of value" are asked to call 850-891-4987 – Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare issued an additional statement: "TMH has received a total of six patients related to this incident one patient is in critical condition and five are in serious condition and we remain fully mobilized to meet their needs." a Tallahassee police spokesperson told the Democrat they had "one man in custody." – A news conference on the FSU shooting has been announced for 4 p.m The university also updated its "Alerts" page: "All Florida State University classes and business operations on the main campus in Tallahassee are canceled through Friday Essential employees should check with their supervisors for further reporting instructions All FSU athletics events in Tallahassee are canceled through Sunday "Students who need assistance can go to the Donald L. Tucker Center where the university is providing counseling Family members are also able to go to the Tucker Center for assistance faculty and staff are asked to call their loved ones as soon as possible to update them on their status  "The Student Union and the surrounding area is still considered an active crime scene "Students may return to their residence halls but they should otherwise stay indoors on the main campus to allow first responders and university staff to do their jobs and respond to those needing assistance Students may depart campus for the weekend." Leon Schools 'back to normal'2:34 p.m. – "All LCS schools are back to normal operating procedures. Lockout has been lifted district wide," the district posted on X Also, a student reunification center has been established at the Tucker Civic Center, according to a social media post by TPD – Law enforcement is still clearing campus buildings The university announced that "all classes and business operations are canceled through Friday It added: "Essential employees should check with their supervisors for further reporting instructions Athletics events in Tallahassee are canceled throughout the weekend." FSU shooting first since 20142:26 p.m – The last time Florida State had an active shooter was in November 2014 went into the university’s Strozier Library just after midnight and opened fire injuring three before he was quickly shot and killed in a hail of bullets by Tallahassee and FSU police an FSU graduate and attorney who was mentally ill and suffered from paranoia used a .380 semi-automatic during the on-campus shooting and shot at seven people The three injured in that shooting included one employee and two students a student at the time who was paralyzed from the hip down after being shot was in the restroom outside her classroom at the Moore building next to the Student Union when she heard four loud bangs.“I thought it was the roof collapsing honestly and then suddenly three girls come running in and one of them was crying," she said "One of the girls looks over at my stall and tells me to call the police because there’s an active shooter.”She called 911 they held it shut for 20 minutes until police arrived she saw one person on the ground surrounded by officers Miller assumed he was a shooter but wasn’t sure Miller also heard police say they were looking for a shotgun She saw what appeared to be two injured people on the ground by the Student Union.“We saw them when they were still on the grass,” she said “I think they moved a couple to the pavement.” She said law enforcement was swarming everywhere: “It was terrifying.” – Various social media posts and news reports have differing numbers of injured and deaths but law enforcement as of 2 p.m had not confirmed any deaths from Thursday's shooting Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare spokesperson Stephanie Derzypolski earlier told the Democrat TMH ER staff was treating received six patients one in critical condition and the others in serious condition 2:04 p.m. – "All Florida State athletics home events through Sunday, April 20, have been canceled," the university posted on X "Further updates on events scheduled for next week will be communicated when available." 'Everyone started freaking out'1:53 p.m – Sam Swartz and Sean Gulledg said they were in the basement of the FSU student union when the shooting started “Everyone started freaking out,” Swartz said He said they heard maybe 10 gunshots while they were working on a group project The group of eight cornered themselves in a hallway and started to barricade the opening with trash cans and plywood “I remember learning to do the best you can to make them take time because they don’t want to do anything that takes time they’re just trying to get as many people,” Swartz said Students heard law enforcement officers going up and down hallways telling everyone to come out with their hands up Everyone was patted down and checked before evacuating said they train for these types of situations but never thought they’d ever have to use them – USA TODAY reports that President Donald Trump says he has been "fully briefed" on the active shooter at Florida State University in Tallahassee horrible that things like this take place," Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office "Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding." was in class in the Rovetta Building when an alarm came over the PA system and an alert flashed on the screen in the lecture hall His professor locked the doors and students stood in an area of the room without windows and we were escorted out of the building into a clear area I never thought this would happen again,’ “ Dejesus said – Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare spokesperson Stephanie Derzypolski confirmed to the Tallahassee Democrat that they now have received six patients one in critical condition and the rest in serious condition The hospital has "the only Level II trauma center in the Big Bend region," its website says A Level II trauma center is "required to have trauma surgeons on-call 24/7." Media staging area set up1:22 p.m – Tallahassee police spokesperson Alicia Turner advised the campus community to continue following the orders of FSU officials Media are staging at the Turnbull Center on Pensacola Street A media briefing is scheduled for mid-afternoon was in Strozier Library on campus around noon with friends when he saw people running exiting the back of the library at West Call and Dewey streets "I could have sworn I saw a cop running after somebody and screaming something when we ran out," he said I'm not sure if that was the shooter shooting or if the cops shot the shooter." He called his mother right after he got out of the library to tell her he was OK and what happened he said he saw four students loaded into ambulances and taken away – A Tallahassee police spokesperson confirmed that one person is in custody but could not confirm any deaths Marshals with what appeared to be automatic weapons asked students gathered near West Call and Dewey streets to disperse because other students were still being led from the campus' student union "So many people in that building right now so many to get out," a marshal was overheard saying Students, staff, other huddled around campus12:51 p.m – The Democrat's Alicia Devine is on the FSU campus Other journalists on scene posted video of students being led off campus with hands raised – The alerts.fsu.edu website posted this message: "Continue to shelter in place Police have responded to an active shooter call at the Student Union Persons in need of immediate emergency assistance should call 911 or FSUPD at 850-644-1234." – "TMH is actively receiving and caring for patients related to an incident that has occurred at Florida State University and we do not have specific information to share we want to assure the community that our teams are fully mobilized and prepared to provide the highest level of care and support to all those affected "We remain in close coordination with emergency responders and public safety officials Out of respect for patient privacy and to ensure accurate information we will provide updates as soon as they are available We ask for your patience and compassion during this difficult time." – WCTV says four people have been taken to Tallahassee Memorial with injuries "I have not been able to confirm that number just yet," a hospital spokesperson said Local public schools locked down12:37 p.m – According to Leon County Schools spokesperson Chris Petley all Leon County schools are on lockdown as of 12:15 p.m – The Leon County Sheriff's Office has sent its helicopter to go over the campus according to LCSO spokesperson Javonni Hampton First responders – including state troopers and various police agencies – were swarming the campus A reporter said ambulances were seen heading to FSU and away "An active shooter has been reported in the area of Student Union Continue to seek shelter and await further instructions Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measures," the text message alert reads The Tallahassee Democrat attempted to reach FSUPD but were told all lines were being used A call was also made to the Tallahassee Police Department and spokesperson Lt Sirens could be heard all over downtown Tallahassee Thursday morning An employee who works in the Bellamy Building told a reporter the building was on lockdown and law enforcement was evacuating people floor by floor That same person said she heard what sounded like gunfire inside the building Still another person in the same building reported what sounded like semi-automatic gunfire UPDATE: Monday, April 21 updates are here Three victims improved to "good" condition and one remained in "fair" condition Friday according to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Stephanie Derzypolski ➤ 'I just need to play dead': Florida State University student on surviving campus shooting A vigil held on campus Friday afternoon drew thousands to honor the victims Here's what we know about the shooting as of Sunday FSU shooting victim played dead to surviveMadison Askins, 23, a survivor of the FSU shooting, told CBS Evening News she played dead during the attack to avoid being shot again She said she released all the muscles in her body closed her eyes and held her breath as she listened to Ikner talk to himself while he reloaded his gun The suspected FSU gunman in an attack at Florida State University that killed two and injured six held a fascination with Hitler, Nazis and other hate groups Suspect Phoenix Ikner used a drawing of Hitler as a profile photo for an online gaming account. For the name of another account, the 20-year-old used “Schutzstaffel,” the name of the ruthless “SS” paramilitary group that started out as Hitler’s personal bodyguard In the aftermath of the shooting on Thursday people who knew Ikner said he had a history of espousing radical conspiracy theories and hateful ideas The tight bond of the FSU family — built on students and community members — was reflected in FSU President Richard McCullough’s heartfelt assurances that it might hurt now “There is no manual on how we feel when something like this happens But I want to be clear —  you’re not alone.” ➤ Read more about the vigil here Florida State University is located in the state's capitol A gunman, later identified by police as Phoenix Ikner opened fire at the FSU Student Union at 11:50 a.m Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measures," the initial alert read Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said the shooter was a 20-year-old FSU student and the stepson of a Leon County deputy Ikner attended Lincoln High School and was a long-standing member of the 2021-22 Leon County Sheriff's Office Youth Advisory Council as a high school junior Ikner was known by other classmates for espousing extremist conspiracy theories and hateful ideas and was once kicked out of a "political round table" club for what one student claimed was frequent white supremacist and far-right rhetoric How many shooters were involved in FSU shooting?According to LCSO McNeil confirmed during a Thursday press conference that two people were dead and six others were hospitalized Derzypolski said three victims improved to "good" condition Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare will be holding a press conference at 1 p.m Anyone with video or audio media related to the incident, can upload it here. Andrea Torres TALLAHASSEE – Anne-Mari Eriksen is the biological mother of the gunman who was arrested after a fatal shooting Thursday at Florida State University in Tallahassee Eriksen said she had not seen her son in several years She was involved in a bitter custody fight with his father Leer en español Records show Eriksen was arrested for kidnapping at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after returning from Norway with her son in 2015 “I was alienated from him,” Eriksen said at her home in Tallahassee In less than 5 minutes, her 20-year-old son was arrested while in possession of a gun that belonged to his stepmother “I have been concerned for him in the past but I would never have thought that,” Eriksen said there was a sea of garnet and gold during a vigil on campus Relatives grieved the loss on social media Morales was “a member of the FSU family since 2015 He worked in our department of business services and was known as a dedicated colleague and kind person,” FSU President Richard McCullough said during the vigil was a Cuban exile turned CIA operative who was fatally shot “He loved his job at FSU and his beautiful Wife and Daughter,” Morales’s brother, Ricardo Morales, Jr., wrote South Carolina; earned an MBA from The Citadel in South Carolina; and worked as an Aramark Collegiate Hospitality regional vice president survived and were at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare “Alll of them are expected to make a full recovery,” McCullough said adding that he expected two to be released Friday Zeke Rosenthal, of Boca Raton, is a senior at FSU. He was replaying what it was like to hide with classmates who had survived the Parkland massacre “None of the doors lock in the building -- which is a huge problem -- and the door swings outward so we had no choice but to throw desks climb inside of a classroom,” Rosenthal said The gunman was injured during his arrest “I don’t understand what would bring someone to do something like that,” Rosenthal said The Tallahassee Police Department’s timeline Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013 She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. (WCTV/AP) - Two men have died and multiple others are hospitalized after the son of a local sheriff’s deputy allegedly opened fire Thursday on Florida State University’s campus local officials shared that six additional people are hospitalized Authorities identified the suspected shooter as 20-year-old FSU student Phoenix Ikner who has serious but non-life-threatening injuries according to a Thursday evening Tallahassee Police Department Facebook post and one was injured while fleeing the gunfire Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil also identified Ikner as the step-son of an LCSO school resource deputy He also disclosed that Ikner has been a “longstanding” member of the LCSO Youth Advisory Council We understand that you all have been devastated by this person’s actions.” One of the weapons found at the crime scene belonged to Ikner’s stepmother who has worked as an LCSO deputy for years Officials said the gun was a former LCSO firearm that the deputy had purchased from the sheriff’s office and now uses as a personal weapon Authorities said they are continuing to investigate the crime Deputy Jessica Ikner will not be placed on leave or probation Updated details on the suspect and victims were shared during a 4:30 p.m hours after news of the shooting first surfaced An active shooter was first reported on campus just before noon in the area near the Student Union the Associated Press broke the news that authorities had taken a suspect into custody When law enforcement confronted the shooter and commanded him to stand down It is unclear how many times law enforcement discharged their weapons or how many officers fired The Tallahassee Police Department is leading the investigation into the homicides as well as into the “officer-involved shooting,” according to Chief Lawrence Revell Watch back our complete coverage from Thursday here: authorities have urged anyone on Florida State’s campus to seek shelter and await further instructions while FSU Police Tallahassee Police and Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials flood the campus “Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measures,” the alert said The @FloridaState campus has been secured Multiple law enforcement agencies remain on site for the ongoing investigation The Student Union & surrounding area are still considered an active crime scene Individuals should not return to the area for any reason “Law enforcement has neutralized the threat,” an FSU alert said just before 3:20 p.m The Tallahassee Police Department established a “student reunification point” at the Donald L according to a social media post from the agency Authorities escorted students and staff with palms held high out of classrooms and lesson halls Thursday FSU busses packed with Seminoles left the campus in droves ushering survivors away from streets and buildings still packed with police fire trucks and ambulances blazed down Tennessee Street toward the historic campus Thursday afternoon FSU Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement saturated the streets and pathways of the campus with their presence finally beginning to wane at about 5 p.m The Federal Bureau of Investigation also responded to the scene Law enforcement have asked the community not to return to campus to retrieve any belongings abandoned during the shooting as many areas are still active crime scenes Details are still being gathered on how the shooting unfolded A graduate student on campus told WCTV that he saw a college-aged man emerge from the Student Union with a handgun Students who were in the union at the time of the shooting told a WCTV reporter they heard about 15 to 20 gunshots The students said they then fled the scene and took shelter in a church across the street FSU economics senior Gabriel Santoro was in class when all at once As his classmate presented a research paper “We kind of all realized something was going on,” he said “We got the desks and started piling them against the door.” a father who was in Tallahassee with his twins for an FSU campus tour said they were looking at a menu on campus when shots rang out He said they tried to hide in rooms off a long hallway but all the doors were locked That’s when the father said about 50 people ran into a service elevator and when the doors opened there were two officers with guns drawn who helped them escape I’m praying for those people who are injured and I just hope we can do better in the future,” one student told a WCTV reporter The tragedy reverberated across the state and nation Thursday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis commented on the shooting in a social media post: “Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding.” The governor and First Lady Casey DeSantis visited Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on Thursday afternoon where victims of the shooting are receiving treatment We stand with Florida State University. Today, we are all Seminoles. pic.twitter.com/dUMW3eL48r President Donald Trump also commented on the shooting during a press conference. “It’s a shame. Horrible thing, horrible thing,” the president said. “Things like this take place. And we will have more to say about it later.” Medical officials in the capital city say they are working to support those injured in the shooting. In a statement to WCTV just before 12:50 p.m., a Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare representative wrote the following: State Rep. Gallop Franklin, D - District 8, thanked emergency responders for their swift response Thursday. “This is a time of great concern, worry, and anguish for the FSU community and all of Tallahassee and Leon County,” a statement from the representative said in part. Many in the community say they are in disbelief. “Why do things like this keep happening? I’m at a loss for words, honestly,” Santoro said. In the wake of the shooting, FSU is suspending all activity on campus. All Seminole Athletics events are canceled through Sunday, and all classes are canceled through Friday, according to the university. FSU President Richard McCullough said he and his wife visited the injured at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on Thursday afternoon. “Our hearts go out to our students and the victims of this terrible tragedy,” McCullough said. The university president released a statement on Instagram Thursday evening, thanking law enforcement and acknowledging the tragic event. “We are heartbroken. We are grieving with the families, friends and loved ones of those who were lost. We are holding close those are are injured, and we are standing by everyone who is hurting,” the president wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Florida State University (@floridastateuniversity) Nearby Florida A&M University canceled all classesm on Thursday Tallahassee State College canceled all classes scheduled for Friday For those in need of immediate emergency assistance FSU says to call 911 or the university’s police department at 850-644-1234 The @FloridaState campus has been secured We stand with Florida State University. Today, we are all Seminoles. pic.twitter.com/dUMW3eL48r View this post on Instagram A post shared by Florida State University (@floridastateuniversity) Robert Morales, an FSU employee and high school football coach, and Tiru Chabba I understand that,” Florida State University President Richard McCullough said Here's what we know about the shooting as of Saturday ➤ FSU vigil: Community gathers after campus shooting that killed 2, injured more FSU students criticized the administration's decision to reopen campus four days after a shooting that killed two and injured six The university president acknowledged the difficulty of returning to normal but emphasized available support resources and flexibility from faculty and staff FSU shooter suspect had troubling fascination with hate groupsThe suspected FSU gunman in an attack at Florida State University that killed two and injured six held a fascination with Hitler, Nazis and other hate groups Who was killed in the Florida State University mass shooting Have the victims been identified?The Florida State University shooting took what loved ones described as a big-hearted man Phoenix Ikner's stepmother practiced shooting with him at firing rangeJessica Ikner, a middle school deputy, practiced shooting with her son, Phoenix Ikner Where is Florida State University located?Florida State University is located in the state's capitol A video has gone viral across social media showing someone walking past a wounded Game two of Florida State baseball's series against Clemson has been suspended with weather in the Tallahassee area An eighth-inning lightning delay forced the game to be postponed with Clemson ahead 4-3 in the bottom half of the inning on Sunday and game three of the series will begin about 45 minutes after the finish FSU leads the series after winning game one in extra innings, walk-off fashion Joey Volini dazzled on the mound before Mother Nature altered the course of the game Cam Cannarella hit a deep ball to center field that Max Williams slipped when he fielded and Cannarella safely reached third on a two-RBI triple and then scored after a wild throw to third base to give Clemson a 4-3 lead Volini threw a season-high eight innings and struck out seven while allowing four earned runs on five hits in the win over the Tigers He worked through innings quickly as he finished four innings in under 10 pitches and threw no more than 14 pitches in a single inning The Seminoles trailed by one run after a Clemson sac bunt in the top of the fifth inning before Nathan Cymela hit his first home run at FSU to tie the game After Gage Harrelson hit a single and Max Williams walked Myles Bailey gave FSU the 2-1 lead with an RBI double Harrelson hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to hand FSU a 3-1 lead before the three-run eighth inning from Clemson Watch/Listen: ACC Network Extra / ACC Network - Saturday only / WFLA 100.7 FM Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney Two of Tallahassee's major hospitals received favorable grades in the biannual Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Ratings for the spring Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare received a "B," the regional hospital's highest grade from the rating system in the last decade A TMH spokesperson said the hospital received a "B" in Fall 2015 and the highest grade received was an "A" in Fall 2014 “We can project based upon what the numbers look like that in the fall (the ratings come out every spring and every fall) HCA Florida Capital Hospital received a "B" for the spring 2025 ratings report Both are among the 3,000 acute care hospitals across the country surveyed for Leapfrog Group's Hospital Safety Grade report which aggregates data from public documents and hospital-submitted materials Rankings are released in the spring and fall based on responses for preventing errors “This improved rating more accurately reflects the care we provide and helps convey to the public what we have known to be true,” said Jana Iezzi-Tumblin vice president and chief improvement and analytics officer at TMH “We’re proud of the grade but prouder of the hard work and commitment made by our team every day HCA was recognized with a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ from Healthgrades — making this the sixth consecutive year the hospital landed among the top 5% in the nation on patient safety the Tallahassee-based hospital is also among 100 HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals recognized by Healthgrades this year for high-quality care and prevention of serious safety events during hospital stays "We are dedicated to our investment in clinical quality and patient care and providing an outstanding patient experience," said Dr "We appreciate all of the contributions our hospital team members and providers have made to make this award possible.” Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X Years before he allegedly killed two people and shot five students in the April 17 mass shooting at Florida State University Ikner uploaded more than 100 videos to his channel on the popular video-sharing platform Many of them consisted of live streams of Ikner offering his own commentary and reacting in real time as he played first-person shooters like “Call of Duty" and "Halo." But he dedicated one video in 2022 entirely to the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, a debunked but increasingly mainstreamed belief that liberal immigration policies in the West are part of an effort to supplant White people with non-whites The theory has motivated a rogue’s gallery of killers since it first emerged more than a decade ago in books by a French author. Among them was the perpetrator of the worst modern-day mass shooting in the history of Norway which Ikner considered his “heritage country.” Ikner even mentioned that attack, which left 77 people dead in 2011, in his video on the conspiracy theory. He appeared to express empathy that no longer existed by the time he allegedly picked up his stepmother’s handgun and went on his own rampage “That was sad,” Ikner said of the Norway shooting Nothing would make that legitimized or warranted.” He uploaded the videos under a user name that incorporated the word “rebel” to a homepage that included an image of an early Confederate flag Though he didn’t show his face in the videos he posted a “face reveal” photo on the channel last year Law enforcement officials confirmed that Ikner is the person who uploaded and streamed the videos under the “rebel” user ID They also acknowledged that the videos are part of the ongoing investigation into the mass shooting at FSU where he had enrolled for the spring semester he demonstrated he was familiar with some of the most notorious mass killings carried out in the name of the conspiracy theory he mentioned looking up on the internet and watching a 2022 shooting at a Buffalo supermarket that left 10 African Americans dead describing it as "not bloody for some reason." In the FSU shooting police have said it appears Ikner targeted people at random rather than because of their race “People were always going to kill each other as long as humanity’s alive," Ikner said at one point in the video "I wouldn’t say violence is never the answer and an image on his Xbox Live profile with a drawing of Hitler Students who knew Ikner at Tallahassee State College sexist and neo-Nazi views during meetings of the Political Discourse Club In his one hour and eight minute rant on the “great replacement” theory he initially said he wasn’t a part of the theory and didn’t support it but then called himself “neutral." he went on to dispute almost point-by-point another video posted by a different YouTuber someone with more than 1 million followers who had posted his own video debunking the so-called replacement theory “A lot of the points he says is dumb or just illogical so I just want to talk about it,” Ikner said He called the idea that there won’t be major demographic changes in the future “B.S.”  He disagreed that xenophobic messaging on the internet was “terribly good at manipulating us.” He laughed hard enough that he had to catch his breath when a clip from “Gangs of New York” played showing a man yell an ethnic slur as he throws a rock at a woman’s face He paused on images from the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville to point out members of Vanguard America with his cursor The neo-Nazi group marched in the rally in which a woman was killed when a man drove his car into counter-protesters Obviously you have your little battle flags and you’ve got your patches As he continued streaming his response video Ikner signaled strong agreement with the conspiracy theory's central tenet that "diversity is conflict." he Googled “the destruction of Austria-Hungary” and blamed its collapse after World War I on its ethnic mix “It had so many ethnic people that wanted to do so many different things,” he said “It is usually never a good thing ever because you have different cultures of different people coming into the same place and … it goes really badly.” He huffed and puffed after the narrator of the other video asked whether viewers who were concerned about changing skin colors had ever stopped to ask themselves why “It’s not like I’ve seen so much different crap in the last decade or even the last couple of years he streamed gameplay from “Dead by Daylight,” a video game in which killers hunt down unarmed survivors and murder them in graphically brutal fashion who was shot in the jaw and "neutralized" by an FSU police officer only a couple of minutes into his attack an employee of FSU vendor Aramark from Greenville a Leon County Sheriff’s Office school-resource officer Her old service weapon was used in the FSU attack Sheriff's Office records obtained through a public records request show he was fixated on race as a teenager though he expressed far more positive views on the subject when he applied in 2021 to become a member of LCSO’s Youth Advisory Council “I am passionate about this issue because it's a driven factor in the political landscape of today,” he wrote “For example at my school there is a clash between the races and .. each race feels the opposite race is ignored There is no communication or dialogue between them I hope to build those relationships or find ways to do this." In a one-page bio, Ikner said that at 16 he had “been through more than most people” and recounted how his biological mom had taken him to Norway when he was 10 after telling him they were going to Disney World a Miami woman whose father was a Norwegian ship captain violated numerous court orders when she took him overseas for 103 days and served jail time for custodial kidnapping after she returned “One day I was in Oslo Norway and the next thing you know I saw my biological dad and Jessica in Oslo,” he wrote “I was given back to them at a Police Station.” He said he swam on the Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club (ATAC) team in fifth grade found “the love of history and civics” at Swift Creek Middle School and joined Junior ROTC as a freshman at Lincoln High “My plans are to join the Air Force when I graduate high school,” he wrote “I also would like to become a history teacher.” "I do not condone or support racism," he said in his response video the former school resource deputy at Raa Middle School who is now on personal leave asked one of her colleagues in the School Resource Unit to help him get chosen for the youth council “Can you fill out this recommendation for Phoenix Ikner (my kid),” she wrote in a July 2021 email to another deputy who went on to write a short but glowing statement Sheriff Walt McNeil personally congratulated Ikner after he was selected as one of seven members of the council He was later elected vice president of the council “The application process was incredibly competitive,” McNeil wrote “Given your dedication to service and leadership skills we are thrilled to count you among this select group.” McNeil told media that Ikner had been "steeped" in the Sheriff's Office "family" and participated in a number of training programs "so it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons." During monthly meetings at the Sheriff’s Office moderated by detectives Ikner got a close-up view of law enforcement operations and tactics from deputy guest speakers and demonstrations a Leon High senior who served with Ikner on the youth council said he thought he was a “good guy” back then The two exchanged numbers but never got together outside meetings “It seemed like he would never do anything in malice,” West said “He kind of blew our minds when we found out he was becoming inactive in May 2022 after the two LCSO supervisors overseeing the program were transferred to other departments Ikner posted his video on the conspiracy theory two months later a Tallahassee teacher whose husband worked with Morales on the design of the Student Union has been sifting through Ikner's videos since the shooting She said she was most disturbed by his racist statements and gory "Dead by Daylight" gameplay he mentioned that he always chooses to play in the killer role," she said he is hunting down unarmed civilians who are hiding from him he was brutally killing them and laughing as he did so." Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180 In continuing my food voyage to spotlight local mom-and-pop restaurants we're visiting Mexican Street Grill & Drinks located at 3840 N The center also houses the Lake Jackson Branch Library this family operation is taking it to the next level when it comes to offering authentic fare with a goal to transport their guests to the streets of Mexico and other Latin American countries for only a sliver of the price Five for Cinco: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Tallahassee? 5 ways restaurants are joining the festivities "We wanted to create a new concept that has several kinds of Hispanic food," Martinez said minutes after opening the store for the day This is Martinez's second restaurant in Tallahassee also own the longtime establishment Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant at 2102 W Barajas said in his career in the industry he has worked every position — from busser to server waiter to line cook — a skill set he drew on when he and Martinez opened the Lake Jackson establishment in November 2024 Initially they handled all aspects of the operation themselves "It's my first business," Barajas said with a smile "So it's a challenge because I've been always working for someone and now I'm just working for myself." The restaurant offers a fusion of flavors with Peruvian Martinez and Barajas have decades of experience in the industry now united by a shared passion to offer a modern polished approach to traditional Latin food approachable and affordable is the new name of the game and Mexican Street Grill is playing for keeps Vibrant murals line the walls — flowers in bloom a desert landscape accented with clay pots Neon signs like “Feed me tacos and tell me I’m pretty” and “Tacos maybe.” add a playful touch to the restaurant’s warm The gigantic menu that greets you above the service counter Highlights of the Mexican Street Grill & Drinks menuBarajas says the menu is what makes them a standout from its competitors "All of them ( Mexican restaurants) are the same We're trying to do something different," he said they're gonna give you a burrito with just beans and meat inside and that's it create a full flavor burrito that's always the same way whenever you order it." the fusion of flavors and house made sauces that can add a new layer to dishes like the chipotle or jalapeno cream the owners believe they offer more variety than you'd typically find The menu is nearly as large as its portions I finally settled on the "Birria Burrito," after flipping back and forth on the paper menu for minutes and paired it with a side of fries and an order the Mango Agua Fresca for a refreshing punch ($13.99) a broth-like dipping sauce lasted me for both lunch and dinner The menu is broken down into several sections chimichanga then bowls and salads with eight different options to choose from in each sector burrito or taco is over $10 and you can make each one a combo for an additional $5 One of the quesadillas includes the "Street Quesadilla" made with steak The "Flaming Hot Burrito" reminds me of something I'd see on TikTok order the "Peruvian Bowl" made with marinated steak Pair your hefty meal with an in-house margarita frozen or on the rocks for an additional $6 End your visit with a sweet treat like flan a baked custard or tres leches cake If you goWhat: Mexican Street Grill & Drinks Smith says he has enjoyed his share of blessings one could say it followed him as an athlete newspaper publisher and politician in the Florida House of Representatives I would still run through the wall if he told me to – or try to,” said Bill Grant a former football player coached by Smith at Taylor County High One might say Smith has beaten the odds because he’s believed to be Florida State's oldest-living letterman in baseball a first baseman on the 1951 and 1952 baseball teams will be recognized during the Seminoles’ game against Jacksonville May 6 at Howser Stadium Smith made the Seminoles team as a walk-on and described himself as a good fielder but not a hitter that would “rattle the fences.” The left-handed hitter posted batting averages of .244 and .313 in his two seasons with one career home run when the incoming signing class featured Lee Corso and Ron Fraser Corso will retire from ESPN's "College GameDay" in August ending a career with the show that began in 1987 where the soon-to-be 90-year-old was known as the "Sunshine Scooter." Fraser was best known for his coaching tenure at Miami Smith says he doesn’t have a secret sauce to his longevity rarely drinks and still enjoys calisthenics daily He was a voracious reader and stays in tune to current events can vouch for his father’s devotion to exercise When Crit joked during one Thanksgiving he couldn’t do as many pushups as his father Smith also didn’t travel a conventional journey from the family's small farm in Clanton Alabama – between Birmingham and Montgomery – to Tallahassee in his mid-20s Smith’s high school in Chilton County didn’t have a baseball program he thinks because the country at the time was rationing gasoline due to World War II He remembers sitting on the front porch and listening to St Smith served in the Army Air Corps for one year He returned home and played baseball on his “town team,” and also briefly in the minor leagues in the Philadelphia Phillies organization Smith had also tied the knot. Smith and wife Betsy were married 76 years and had three children five grandchildren and six great grandchildren Smith coached football and baseball in Monticello He was known as a tough disciplinarian who challenged players to be their best Smith also scheduled the area’s larger programs such as Leon High “Coach expected a lot from us and we tried to give it to him,” said Grant among a group of former players who still get together with Smith He's tough and a guy who never backed down." The well-versed Smith also ventured into business – he and Betsy owned and operated the Taco Times Newspaper in Perry He was elected to the legislature (1961-62 and 1965-70) and represented Taylor County “I have to say that (House of Representatives) was the very top for me (professionally),” Smith said Some of the best people I ever knew were in the legislature during the time I served still keeps a distant eye on FSU athletics and baseball But he hasn’t returned to Howser for many years He also regrets not looking back often enough or saving keepsakes from his college career "I was always moving onto something new," Smith said I was getting pretty wrapped up in what I was doing at that time." He's humbled by the program's gesture of recognition “It’s really nice of FSU to do this,” Smith said There will be two more Gavins added to the Florida State football roster The Littleton, Colorado, native visited FSU on Thursday and Friday before committing. Sawchuck has two more years left of eligibility. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound back played three seasons for the Sooners he rushed for 977 rushing yards (5.6 yards per carry) on 176 carries and 11 rushing touchdowns He also added 23 catches for 130 receiving yards "I’m excited to welcome Gavin into the Nole Family,” Norvell said in a press release “He is an explosive back who has a chance to be a game-changer He is the complete package out of the backfield tremendous ball skills and is fantastic in pass protection We’ve seen glimpses of that all coming together as he was as good as any running back in the country during the back half of the 2023 season Gavin has high character and a relentless work ethic that will allow him to be a positive addition to our program." Sawchuck broke out as a true freshman when he rushed for 115 yards on 20 carries in the Cheez-It Bowl in 2022 he ran for 744 yards on 120 carries and nine touchdowns Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. 185-pound receiver was also spotted on campus all week before signing he recorded 448 receiving yards and one touchdown Blackwell only played four games (one start) last season His career best was in 2022 as a redshirt freshman when he had 18 catches FSU recruited him from high school after he participated in one of FSU's camps in 2021 "I’m excited to welcome Gavin to the Nole Family,” Norvell said “He brings experience and versatility and has played in big games He can stretch the field vertically with speed and has also proven to be a good route runner with the ability to separate from defenders Gavin was productive early in his career before having to deal with injuries and setbacks throughout his journey He will bring a veteran presence to our talented wide receivers room." More: How FSU football's Mike Norvell is managing his roster as NCAA Housing Settlement approaches Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol FSU | Florida State University News Florida State University News The Official News Source of Florida State University Home / News / University News / FSU commencement honors resilience and record-breaking class Florida State University honored its largest graduating class in history over the weekend and celebrated the resilience and achievements of more than 7,100 students who earned nearly 9,000 degrees The six commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday at the Donald L Tucker Civic Center came just over two weeks after a shooting on campus left the community grieving but united in strength FSU President Richard McCullough began each ceremony with a moment of silence in memory of Robert Morales who were killed in the April 17 attack at FSU’s Student Union “We cannot begin today without acknowledging the loss our community has suffered,” McCullough told the crowd a tragic act of violence struck our campus we’ve witnessed the best of FSU: compassion and an outpouring of support from around the world.”  He asked attendees to honor the lives lost to support those still recovering and to recognize those who responded with care and urgency McCullough said the weekend was a time to honor perseverance “These graduates have overcome so much — not only in the past few weeks but over the years they’ve worked toward this day,” he said “This is the largest graduating class in Florida State’s history But it’s their resilience that makes this moment even more meaningful.”  FSU awarded 8,926 degrees in total over the weekend 1,558 master’s and specialist degrees and 247 doctoral degrees DOCTORAL PHOTO GALLERY McCullough presided over a doctoral hooding ceremony Friday morning “You bring with you the next great scientific discoveries great works of art and the new theories and strategies that will shape this state and this nation for the better.”  FRIDAY PHOTO GALLERY Speakers across all ceremonies shared messages of resilience At the College of Business ceremony Friday afternoon encouraged graduates to lead with integrity and prepare for the future spent more than a decade as chief investment officer for the Florida State Board of Administration He’s held leadership roles in national investment organizations serves on the FSU Foundation Board and received honors including the Chief Investment Officer Lifetime Achievement Award and the FSU Mores Torch Award Personal integrity is an absolute requirement for long-term success.”  He also reminded graduates that success isn’t always a straight line “Don’t look at the world as a single path,” Williams said and there are all kinds of wonderful sights to see along it.”  College of Arts and Sciences graduates heard from Ken Jones Jones serves on the Florida Board of Governors which oversees the State University System He is founder and managing partner of Third Lake Partners and has served in senior roles in Washington Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and CEO of the 2012 Republican National Convention He also serves on several national boards and is an FSU alumnus Jones reflected on the value of consistency improvement and coachability — qualities he called “the hallmarks” of success “It doesn’t matter where you start,” he said “If you keep those five principles in mind He also encouraged graduates to stay open to new experiences and opportunities “The biggest thing you can do in your career is say yes,” Jones said “Opportunity is disguised as hard work all the time SATURDAY PHOTO GALLERY addressed graduates from several colleges including Hospitality Stith helped lay the groundwork for transformational gifts that led to the creation of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship a national initiative to diversify faculty in business schools FSU became a top producer of African American business Ph.Ds He went on to lead the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University and served as interim president at Norfolk State University As he recalled the tragic events of April 17 Stith pointed to the timeless legacy of FSU’s “unconquered” spirit — the one word that captures the resilience of the Seminoles no one or anything can conquer you,” Stith said “In life you will face more difficult moments and those moments rely on your Seminole spirit and education The FSU faculty and staff and fellow students have prepared you to overcome anything.”     Stith spoke about being the first in his family of 10 children to graduate from college — they all eventually went on to earn their bachelor’s degrees and many advanced degrees neither who had greater than a seventh-grade education often reminded their children: “Education is the one thing that no one can ever take away from you.”  who served on the Florida Supreme Court for 15 years spoke Saturday afternoon to the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering who earned both his accounting and law degrees from FSU led the state’s judiciary through major transitions and wrote opinions on some of Florida’s most high-profile legal issues from constitutional law to utility regulation He also taught at FSU’s College of Law for 20 years He shared with graduates a Thanksgiving blessing he wrote a few years ago when he was going through a difficult time: “Catch the crumbs Account for all blessings and be stewards of the mistakes.”   Polston urged graduates to guard what sustains them whether it is time with family and friends or opportunities to have a better life or make a difference in the world “Don’t let them just drop from the table,” he said with just reacting to whatever comes your way Polston advised graduates not to waste anything: “Don’t forget this moment closed the ceremonies with advice drawn from a long career in athletics and education Reynaud built one of the nation’s most successful collegiate volleyball programs at FSU earned more than 600 victories and led her teams to 13 national tournament appearances at FSU and helped shape the sport globally She served in leadership roles during the 1996 Olympics and as vice president of volleyball operations for the Pro Volleyball Federation A member of the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame advocacy for women’s sports and lasting contributions to athletics at Florida State Speaking to the graduates from the College of Fine Arts Reynaud encouraged them to “be where your feet are.”  Reynaud advised graduates that no matter what they’re doing — whether they’re walking across the stage at commencement on a business trip or spending time with their families: “Be all there and be present.”    The long-time coach congratulated graduates and gave them a pep talk before they move on to the next phase of their lives “You have done all the preparation for the game of life,” she said “You have won this round with the knowledge and skills you have learned at Florida State University You are now prepared to win the next round.”  After the final graduate crossed the stage McCullough sent students off with a few musical words of wisdom by quoting artists from Jay-Z to T.I From Jay-Z: “The key to stayin’ on top of things is treat everything like it’s your first project… just stay hungry.”  and Rihanna’s Live Your Life: “’Til the game ends FSU’s College of Law will hold its commencement Sunday FSU Board of Trustees Vice Chair Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz will be the speaker FSU Panama City’s ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m CT Sunday at Tommy Oliver Stadium in Panama City FSU associate vice president of Enrollment Management The College of Medicine will confer 113 degrees on May 17  The Class of 2025 joins Florida State’s global alumni network of more than 410,000 living graduates For more information and livestreams, visit commencement.fsu.edu © Florida State University Tallahassee (WTXL) — The judge presiding over Donna Adelson's case has granted her request to delay the trial The court found the defendant must be afforded "an adequate opportunity to investigate and/or prepare a defense." Court documents further state the defendant has demonstrated "good cause" for the request to continue the trial the state said they investigated a new lead they were alerted to last Fall the investigation resulted in new material and recorded phone conversations (wire calls) The state said there are more than 30 calls but they likely plan to use one or two at trial They said they believe the defense had enough time to review the information from when it was discovered to the time of the trial in June The defense said it hasn't had time to review the calls Attorneys for Adelson said two months is not enough to review and analyze the new information a Florida State University law professor and Adelson's former son-in-law was shot and killed in his garage in July 2014 Donna Adelson is charged with first-degree murder and solicitation to commit murder in connection with Markel's death was convicted last year for his role in the murder-for-hire plot We cover stories making an impact in Midtown Tallahassee. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Midtown Tallahassee and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood The Tallahassee Police Department is investigating a deadly shooting that occurred Thursday night in a residential area just south of downtown to reports of gunfire in the 200 block of Palmetto Street they discovered an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound according to an incident alert posted online at about midnight by the agency Despite officers’ immediate efforts to administer aid the victim was pronounced dead at the scene The identity of the victim has not yet been released and authorities have not shared details about a possible suspect or motive The Tallahassee Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit is leading the homicide investigation Detectives are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident but has not yet spoken with officers to come forward So far in 2025, nine people have died and at least 14 have been injured in 21 serious city and county shootings, according to a Tallahassee Democrat analysis of gun violence. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Solvers by calling 850-574-TIPS Filling the need for access to pharmaceutical care in Woodville— that's what a new neighborhood pharmacy aims to do for this rural community.I'm Kenya Cardonne your Southeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter looking into Leon Pharmacy's recent impact on the community and long term goals The need for a neighborhood pharmacy in Woodville is very big who has worked at Woodville's Las Brazas Mexican Grill for years Hernandez - "La única farmacia que tenemos cerca nos queda hasta Tallahassee o Crawfordville." He tells me the nearest pharmacies are out of town forcing neighbors to drive out to Crawfordville or inner Tallahassee to access pharmaceutical care Flipping the script for this rural community is a new neighborhood pharmacy called Leon Pharmacy Owner of Leon Pharmacy - "It's convenient for the community offering prescription and over-the-counter medications He says opening a pharmacy in Woodville has been a goal of his for 5 years Another rural area he dedicates his time to is Steinhatchee where his other pharmacy got washed out by Hurricane Helene posing obstacles and delays in opening his Woodville location sometimes people have medical pains or situations and it takes too long to drive out of Tallahassee to get pharmaceutical help they have a difficulty going to the big cities with traffic and all that Patel says pharmacy is a health system and a need for everyone and he plans to fill that need in Woodville for generations to come That's what the community pharmacy provides." Patel says the more that neighbors utilize this pharmacy the more services he'll be able to offer the neighborhood including diagnostic testing and immunizations We cover stories making an impact in Southeast Tallahassee. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Southeast Tallahassee and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood (WCTV) - Three people were hurt after two separate brawls escalated into gunfire over the weekend according to a press release from the Tallahassee Police Department After “reports of gunfire at Flamingos Bar,” officers arrived at the scene and found that one man was injured from “abrasions sustained while taking cover,” but he was not shot “Witnesses reported that a fight in a nearby park escalated when a male discharged a firearm into the air approximately five times before all parties fled,” according to TPD as TPD did not identify the park where the fight unfolded The second incident happened days later at a second Flamingoz location along the 1600 block of West Call Street on Sunday at 11:45 p.m. A “large fight inside the venue” broke out gunfire was reported in an adjacent parking lot,” officials say Police found numerous shell casings at the scene and a second victim was shot in the forearm Both victims have been treated and released from the hospital Police say they have not identified any suspects related to both incidents Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the two incidents happened at separate locations near two different Flamingoz bars (WCTV) - A local Boy Scout is creating a buzz at the Tallahassee Museum with a hands-on project aimed at educating the public about the importance of bees is building a live beehive exhibit as part of his Eagle Scout project The display will feature a 3D-printed structure with a plexiglass front allowing visitors to safely observe bees up close most of the crops you eat are going to be pollinated by bees wasps or any other type of insect like that,” Strickland said Strickland said his goal is to shift public perception of bees from fear to fascination He also hopes to raise awareness about their declining population “They’re very largely endangered,” he said “We’ve lost so many of them over the past years and they just keep going down because people are killing them off with pesticides and all that type of stuff.” the exhibit will be installed at the Tallahassee Museum Strickland is still seeking community support to help bring the project to life. Click here to donate to Strickland’s beehive project By on May 5, 20251 Comment who has led the University of Michigan since 2022 is the sole finalist to become president of the University of Florida A presidential-search committee recommended that the UF Board of Trustees approve Ono after a search that began last year following the abrupt resignation of former President Ben Sasse “Throughout an extensive and thorough process we sought a leader who could match UF’s extraordinary momentum understand its role as the flagship university of one of the most dynamic states in the country and inspire our community to reach even greater heights,” Rahul Patel a UF trustee and chairman of the search committee Ono’s proven record of academic excellence innovation and collaborative leadership at world-class institutions made him our unanimous choice.” who has a doctorate in experimental medicine from McGill University in Canada served as president of the University of Cincinnati and the University of British Columbia before becoming president of the University of Michigan Ono is scheduled to visit the Gainesville campus Tuesday for forums with students his selection would need confirmation from the state university system’s Board of Governors served less than two years as president before announcing last summer he would step down because of his wife’s health Subsequent reporting by the Independent Florida Alligator student newspaper raised questions about issues such as spending on travel and high-level employees who did not live in Florida Sunday’s announcement came after the Florida House this spring unsuccessfully sought to revamp laws about college and university presidential searches including trying to repeal a 2022 law that provided exemptions to public-records and public-meetings laws for information about most candidates for presidencies only information about finalists for the positions is released The House proposal died Friday when the Senate did not take it up before lawmakers finished most business of this year’s legislative session The UF announcement Sunday said the search committee “was responsible for designing the search criteria identifying and vetting a broad pool of qualified candidates and recommending finalists to the Board of Trustees.” It did not provide information about other candidates Members of the search committee were announced in October The university system has seen heavy turnover in presidents in recent years Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner was selected in February to become president of Florida Atlantic University Jeanette Nunez was named interim president of Florida International University Florida A&M University announced the names of four finalists to become its president University of South Florida President Rhea Law has announced she is stepping down Michigan Leader Sole Pick for UF President added by on May 5, 2025View all posts by Staff → He doesn’t have enough time invested at the University of Michigan to warrant a second look By on May 5, 20251 Comment TALLAHASSEE — House and Senate leaders said late Friday they had reached agreement on a “framework” for a budget deal that would include $2.8 billion in tax cuts made the announcement on the final scheduled night of a contentious 60-day legislative session Lawmakers had to approve an extension of the session because they did not finish the budget “I know the extension of session presents difficulties and challenges for you and your families,” Perez told House members But I believe it is better to do it right than to do it fast.” Perez said the budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year Ron DeSantis’ proposed $115.6 billion spending plan He also said the tax-cut package will include his priority of reducing the state’s 6 percent sales-tax rate “We have a responsibility to safeguard taxpayer dollars and improve accountability and oversight of government spending,” Albritton said to senators lawmakers will consider only the budget and related bills That means a wide range of other bills died Friday night after not passing during the 60 days with the Senate following nine minutes later need to pass a budget before the start of the fiscal year DeSantis has line-item veto power before the budget takes effect The House and Senate were at odds for weeks about the budget and tax cuts as leaders held talks behind the scenes to try to work out differences The House and Senate passed budget proposals last month with a more than $4 billion gap The House’s proposal totaled $112.95 billion while the Senate’s weighed in at $117.36 billion The House proposed a tax package (HB 7033) totaling about $5 billion with cuts largely stemming from a plan to permanently reduce the state’s sales-tax rate from 6 percent to 5.25 percent The Senate proposed a $1.83 billion tax-cut package (SB 7034) that included eliminating sales taxes on clothing and shoes that cost $75 or less a Niceville Republican who was Senate president during the 2013 and 2014 sessions said this isn’t the first time lawmakers have disagreed on the budget “Our obligation is to agree on a budget before the end of the fiscal year,” Gaetz said earlier Friday in the intervening time between now and the time we come back that there would be folks from the Senate and folks from the House who would lock themselves in a windowless room with warm beer and cold pizza and come up with a solution.”https://62f55544eb19a70e7eb0d0dee074ea2e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.html?v=1-0-44 Other sessions have had acrimonious endings such as a 2011 standoff involving then-House Speaker Dean Cannon and then-Senate President Mike Haridopolos a Stuart Republican in her 23rd year in the Legislature has seen sessions deteriorate in the final hours but noted Friday “this is not a typical end of session.” “I’ve been through other tense sessions I remember the Haridopolos-Dean Cannon days I remember the Johnny Byrd days,” Harrell said referring to former House Speaker Johnny Byrd a Plant City Republican who clashed with other lawmakers “So there’s been other tense sessions This one is probably the most tense in the last week that I’ve seen.” called the process “extremely frustrating,” but said “it’s part of what I signed up for.” “It is part of my philosophy to not have expectations up here,” Gantt said which started with DeSantis squaring off with the House and Senate leaders over carrying out President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration While agreements on immigration issues were reached at the end of three special sessions including over a House investigation into a foundation linked to First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature economic-assistance program DeSantis has traveled the state to attack the probe and legislative proposals that sought to limit his powers House and Senate budget leaders struggled to reach agreement on “allocations” — overall dollar amounts for different areas of spending — needed to begin formal budget conference negotiations Albritton indicated Friday night that talks about the allocations would continue next week Albritton in recent weeks pointed to “philosophical differences” with the House as he expressed concerns about approving recurring tax cuts amid unsettled national economic forecasts He raised the possibility that deep cuts could force lawmakers to address financial shortfalls in future years Perez accused the Senate of supporting “pathological overspending” while arguing lawmakers should cut taxes to curb spending While making an appearance Wednesday at a Fruitland Park school “this will go down as the least productive Florida House of Representatives in decades.” DeSantis also described the House as being focused “on the personal agendas of the leadership.” Lawmakers to Return to Hammer Out Budget added by on May 5, 2025View all posts by The News Service of Florida → I would like to see High School and College Newspaper Reporters hang out at the Capital during Session from Day One thru the Last Day and keep super close tabs on the Senators and Representatives by having people follow them around all day and do a full Minute by Minute Report on what they actually do for us during the Legislature Session we explore non-traditional therapy methods with Dylann Lowery Lowery works with Mosaic Creative Counseling in Tallahassee She describes play therapy as a hands-on alternative to traditional counseling When asked about the ideal person who could benefit from play therapy “Maybe it’s someone that - with traditional talk therapy - they feel stuck and they really want to express themselves in different ways.” and motions created in the sand to help analyze how a person may be feeling or what they may be experiencing in life Lowery says there are many other objects and strategies you can use for play therapy I joined the WTXL team as the Northwest Tallahassee neighborhood reporter in September 2023 There were 808 calls in 3 hours into this Consolidated Dispatch Agency on the day of the FSU campus shooting It’s a volume that leaders here said they hadn’t seen since their time here We're finding out how they coordinated a law enforcement response to these calls on the day of the shooting the Consolidated Dispatch Agency said each dispatcher will answer up to 120 calls per shift Director of the Tallahassee Leon County Consolidated Dispatch Agency "I think when I looked at the operations board at the time and we just don't see that volume like that." The total — 808 calls in 3 hours — all with varying levels of information Odom said in a critical situation like an active shooting "If we're just getting information about a singular person and we're not getting another call about it then the likelihood is not as valid as if we're getting a call about an incident where we've got three or four different people calling," said Odom those details help kick start law enforcement response as they begin to funnel this information out to agencies two minutes later we already have a police officer on scene engaging with the suspect," said Odom then supported by many law enforcement agencies across the city commended FSU PD's response and said April 17th's outcome came down to the strong partnerships and training that it's so important to build these relationships ahead of time and then to make sure that we already talk about these things," said Chief Lawrence Revell with the Tallahassee Police Department It's a sentiment echoed by Uniformed Patrol Division Chief "We have ongoing rescue task force training which involves the fire department and law enforcement and those trainings are specifically geared for incidents like this," said O'Brien Odom said the CAD is now working on after action reports "Could we do something a little differently here to make sure our response is even more effective The CDA is looking into how they can make their technology more mobile and they want to educate the community including making neighbors aware they can also text 911 to communicate with a dispatcher remains in hospital and the agency is continuing to comb through digital and physical evidence "We have to analyze all of that information try to put all of those pieces together from cameras around FSU and other places and just put that puzzle together so that when it is presented to the grand jury and that's the process that we're in now," said Revell We did also contact FSU PD for comment — the agency who were first on the scene and the one that apprehended the suspect FSU said now was not a good time with commencement this weekend and status of the ongoing investigation (WCTV) - Tallahassee State College cheered on its latest class of graduates Thursday evening Some of the youngest TSC graduates walked the stage at the Tucker Center Thursday night and she crossed the stage to receive her AA from Tallahassee State College my very first class was College Success,” she said she is the youngest of her class and ranked number four out of 30 students - an achievement that was only possible with a lot of support talking to professors has helped me establish connections find out about other opportunities,” she said Madison is set to finish her studies at the University of South Florida She said she has big plans to help others after college “There are so many people who don’t have the greatest homes or who are homeless because they can’t afford it so I’d like to build provide somewhere for people to live,” she said Madison graduated along with 11 of her classmates who said that this program not only gives her a headstart but it has also taught her key life skills like time management and organization “This kind of taught me that I need to get it done and I need to be on time for everything,” she said she has a goal to pour into other students with big dreams “I’ll be able to jump straight into my education classes and my student teaching By on May 2, 2025No Comment Thursday Shooting: The Tallahassee Police Department is currently conducting a homicide investigation following a shooting that occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound but sadly the victim succumbed to his injuries on scene Detectives ask anyone who may have witnessed the incident but did not speak with an officer on scene They may also remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS A Tallahassee man was sentenced to a little over seven years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to defraud retirement accounts of elderly Florida school district employees according to the Northern District of Florida U.S The No. 8 Florida State beach volleyball team is set to face No. 9 Long Beach State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 12:00 p.m Florida lawmakers Thursday gave final approval to a bill that would make a series of changes related to charter schools including allowing charter schools to have stricter codes of conduct than traditional public schools Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Department of Homeland Security to grant the state’s emergency management agency authority to temporarily house immigrants detained for deportation National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was relieved of his current role and will become ambassador to the United Nations, according to a social media post by President Donald Trump yesterday The decision comes after fallout from a leak of military plans in a Signal group chat Secretary of State Marco Rubio will fill the role on an interim basis US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +1.5%)  (More) The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Friday, May 2, 2025 added by on May 2, 2025View all posts by Staff → Rain Postpones Conclusion of Saturday’s FSU-Clemson Game5/3/2025 9:28:00 PM | Baseball The Florida State Seminoles have a need for more experience in the wide receiver room and they believe they got it today, with North Carolina’s Gavin Blackwell opting to transfer to Florida State 185 pound receiver originally from Indian Trail He spent his first four years in Chapel Hill Johnson was limited with injuries in 2024 and accumulated 31 receptions for 448 yards and one touchdown over three seasons (excluding his redshirt year) He showed improvement last year and finished the 2024 season with a 60.9 PFF grade with limited snaps He had a grade of 52.0 in 2023 and 57.6 in 2022 finished with 2024 PFF grades of 74.0 and 62.2 Blackwell is clearly being brought in for depth purposes and will need to improve his run blocking and consistency if he wants to impact the wide receiver rotation in a positive way Had two receptions for 21 yards in start at Duke • Recorded two catches for 22 yards against JMU • Also appeared against Charlotte Appeared in 11 games while starting three • Finished the season with nine receptions for 166 yards • Had one reception in the season opener against South Carolina for 37 yards • Hauled in a season-high four receptions against Appalachian State • Made one catch for 38 yards against Minnesota • Hauled in three catches for 78 yards in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl versus West Virginia Appeared in one game at wide receiver and on special teams against Georgia State An early enrollee who is a four-star prospect listed as the nation’s 205th best player 13 player in North Carolina in the 247Sports Composite • Tabbed as the nation’s 164th-best player 9 player in the state by ESPN • A member of the ESPN 300 • Ranked as the nation’s 46th-best wide receiver and No Son of Garrick Blackwell and Stephanie Drake • Birthday is Dec Shop FSU Seminoles Merch atUNF Invitational Danzy Climbs FSU Top 10 Performance list5/3/2025 4:42:00 PM | Men's Track and Field Florida State there was a bit of nervousness that once again a lead would be blown as the Tigers clawed back to make it just a two-run game But the Seminoles didn’t blink and dominated the final four frames of the game to run-rule Clemson securing the series to conclude what has been one of the more impressive showings for Link Jarrett’s squad this season Wes Mendes got the start for the Seminoles with the first Clemson batter getting a double to left field to kick things off The pitcher ran down a pop up on the next pitch securing the catch even after colliding with catcher Hunter Carns stranding a runner on third as FSU closed out the inning but Alex Lodise once again let the home run machine go brrrr as he knocked out out to left field Max Williams followed that up with a ground out Myles Bailey singled up the middle but Cal Fisher struck out swinging Lodi off the top of the scoreboard!! pic.twitter.com/Uey5yrtvfq Back out on the mound for the top of the second Mendes struck out one but gave up a single before hitting the next batter Mendes successfully worked his way out of the frame by notching two straight Ks leaving those same two runners stranded to preserve the Florida State lead Drew Faurot was next up to bat for FSU at the bottom of the second hitting a single and then advancing to third after Chase Williams hit a single of his own a wild pitch sent Faurot home and Williams to second though Cmeyla eventually flew out to right field on a 3-1 count Williams stole third as Carns went up to bat eventually being walked to put runners on both corners sending Carns to third and Williams home to make it a 3-0 ballgame the Tigers’ pitcher collided with his second baseman forcing the latter to be removed from the game loading up the bases for Florida State with one out but Max Williams’ pop-up kept FSU from adding any additional runs — at least temporarily as Bailey was hit by a pitch on a 1-2 count to allow Carns to make it 4-0 Fisher kept the scoring going with an RBI of his own sending Harrelson home and keeping the bases loaded with two outs The floodgates were then officially open at that point as another new pitcher for Clemson entered the game walking Farout to allow Lodise to score unearned before a Chase Williams single brought both Fisher and Bailey home making it 8-0 before a Cmeyla groundout ended the inning The top of the third inning kicked off with left field flyout and was ended by a second left field flyout to make it a quick 1-2-3 The bottom frame saw Florida State pick up where it left out with Carns hitting a single to the right with Harrelson following up with a double right after Harrelson advanced to third on a Max Williams flyout Bailey attempted to steal second but was caught Clemson finally made a bit of noise by scoring its first runs of the game — with two on and one out a single sent a Tigers’ runner home with Clemson then loading the bases with another single who walked the next Clemson batter to allow another runner to reach home Peyton Manca then relieved Knier with the bases still loaded but once again the Tigers tacked on another run on a walk Manca struck out the next batter on a 3-2 count and then a pop-up caught by Lodise finally ended the inning at 10-5 Florida State managed to get one run back in the bottom of the fourth but left two stranded after a Harrelson groundout There was no continuation of Clemson’s attack in the top of the fifth a three-up-three-down frame overseen by Manca but in the sixth (following the first scoreless inning for FSU in the game) a two-run homer made it 11-7 with one out and suddenly giving up a single but leading FSU out of the inning with its lead intact Florida State responded immediately in the bottom of the sixth — Farout homered to push the Seminoles back out in front 12-9 but that was all the action in store before a Williams ground out It's FaurOUT of here! pic.twitter.com/OjoGbqUKgs Bailey Blast!! pic.twitter.com/BVO2B5wuRK Clemson couldn’t get anything going in the next inning getting one hit but seeing two batters go down swinging With the Tigers now trotting out their ninth pitcher of the game at the bottom of the eighth Harrelson doubled up the middle to start things off — right after then Max Williams added another home run of his own to push FSU’s lead to nine Lodi long ball!! ☄️ pic.twitter.com/BhJF6hvtKG Fisher was walked and then Farout smacked another ball making it 20-9 to secure the run-rule win and series over Clemson Drew walks it off!!!!Series win for #5 FSU over #3 Clemson!!LET'S GO NOLES!!!!! pic.twitter.com/zEX05DYXFI Joey Volini made quick work of the Tigers in the first inning, working around a two out walk. Florida State threatened in their frame with a leadoff walk from Gage Harrelson Max Williams singled to put two on with one out but Myles Bailey fanned and Cal Fisher grounded out to end the inning Volini cruised in the second with a 1-2-3 inning whereas the Seminoles were unable to do anything with a leadoff Drew Faurot single It was more of the same in the third for Volini as he sat down the Tigers in order again. FSU picked up two outs before Lodise walked and Max Williams was hit by a pitch the Tigers only saw nine pitches in another 1-2-3 inning the Seminoles only mustered a two out single from Chase Williams Clemson finally broke through in the fifth with a leadoff double The Tigers followed it up with two sacrifice bunts to plate the first run of the game The lead did not last long for Clemson as Nathan Cmeyla led off the bottom of the fifth with a homerun to left center. Harrelson followed that up with a single and an error that allowed him to advance to second. Lodise popped out to the shortstop and the Tigers intentionally walked Max Williams. Clemson turned to the bullpen and Bailey greeted the new pitcher with an RBI double, giving FSU a 2-1 lead Fisher popped up to first and Faurot flied out to end the inning Nathan Cmeyla answers!! His first as a Nole! ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/OhSFhCvqGq Clemson led off the sixth with an infield single but it was quickly erased with a double play. Volini finished off the inning with his third strikeout of the game. FSU went 1-2-3 in their half of the inning Volini allowed a two out walk but picked off the runner to end the inning Harrelson opened the bottom of the inning with a solo blast to right to extend the lead to 3-1 Bailey was hit by a pitch and Fisher singled to put two men on base but a Faurot K ended the inning The Tigers led off the inning with a single before a strikeout A double put runners at second and third before another strikeout out by Volini Clemson’s Cam Cannarella tripled to center and then scored on an errant relay throw Volini finished the inning with his seventh strikeout Williams struck out swinging and then Hankerson was walked before weather forced the game's postponement leading to the teams finishing up the final three frames on Sunday ahead of game three Cmeyla was the first up on Sunday, himself going out swinging, with BJ Gibson (pinch running for Hankerson) stealing second. Harrelson was walked, but then Lodise’s foul ball was caught by the Clemson catcher to leave two stranded for the Seminoles heading into the ninth Peyton Prescott entered the game for Volini at the top of the 9th striking out the first Clemson batter before giving up a single The Tigers then tacked on another run as an error on a double turned it into an RBI double — Link Jarrett took exception to the play saying the runner interfered with the throw but it was unchallengeable — and then put another man on base as Prescott walked another a sac-fly gave Clemson another run before the inning closed out Facing a three-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth Williams got onto first before a Bailey groundout led to a double-play ending the ball game to force a rubber match between the two top 5 squads Jamie Arnold and the Seminoles kept Clemson grounded through six innings before a bullpen collapse appeared to doom FSU in game one against the Tigers the Seminoles sent the game to extras before ultimately winning 6-5 in the eleventh inning Arnold allowed a one out double in the first before retiring the next two Tigers Clemson started the second with a leadoff walk but vintage Arnold struck out the next three batters The Seminoles threatened in the bottom half of the inning after Drew Faurot reached on a two out error Chase Williams doubled to advance Faurot to third but Jaxson West flied out to end the inning Williams and West grounded out and flew out respectively Clemson again picked up another two out walk in the fifth and again Arnold closed the door Gage Harrelson picked up a one out walk in the bottom of the fifth but Lodise hit into an inning ending double play The inning started with a hit by pitch but the runner was quickly erased in a caught stealing and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with just one out With Clemson poised to tie or even take the lead Max Williams caught the fly and gunned down the Clemson runner at third before the Tigers could plate the run at home The incredible defensive play kept the game at 1-0 in favor of the ‘Noles What a play!!! Jamie Arnold ESCAPES and Florida State leads Clemson 1-0 in the 6th after getting trail runner at 3rd. pic.twitter.com/Igm5MFNZuR Cal Fisher crushed a homerun to left to give FSU a 2-0 lead Faurot walked next but was picked off at first Arnold received the call to start the seventh and gave up a leadoff single After not appearing in a game for nearly two weeks Joe Charles relieved Arnold and the wheels came off for FSU Charles walked the first runner he faced before Clemson moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt Clemson then followed that up with a two-run single and a one-run double to take a 3-2 lead John Abraham was called in next to try and stop the Tiger’s run Abe picked off the runner at second for out number two Clemson picked up another double but luckily the bases were empty and Abe ended the inning with a flyout from the next batter Chase Williams opened up the bottom of the seventh with a bloop single Williams took third on a steal but Hunter Carns and Harrelson both fanned to squander the opportunity The Tigers started the eighth with a double and then scored that runner off a one out single to extend the lead to 4-2 Max Williams reached in the eighth on a one out single but FSU was unable to record any other baserunners Abraham shut down Clemson 1-2-3 in the ninth leaving FSU three outs to turn around their fate Faurot led off the inning with a groundout before Chase Williams doubled off the right field fence West advanced Williams to third on a groundout and James Hankerson sliced a double to left to cut the lead to 4-3 Harrelson ripped a single off the third baseman’s glove to score pinch runner BJ Gibson and send the game to extras The high would not last long though as Clemson homered in the top of the 10th to retake the lead Abe allowed the next two runners to reach and was relieved by Chris Knier shutting down the Tigers to end the inning Max Williams led off the bottom of the tenth and promptly deposited a blast over the right field fence to tie the game at five apiece Bailey struck out before back-to-back singles by Fisher and Chase Williams Pretty sure that one hit the circus tent!! pic.twitter.com/C3M36Bb5AF The Seminoles turned to Peyton Prescott to begin the eleventh He walked the first batter he faced before picking up two outs Another Clemson walk put runners at first and second before Prescott picked up an inning ending strikeout Nathan Cmeyla led off the eleventh inning with a single to left before Harrelson sacrifice bunted him to second The Tigers intentionally walked Lodise to face Max Williams in a lefty on lefty matchup Williams singled to left to bring Cmeyla home with a play at the plate The tag was close and Cmeyla was called safe initially A review confirmed the call and the hero of the tenth was again the hero of the eleventh Max Williams’ RBI single to left was the difference maker in FSU’s 6-5 win over Clemson in game one Max Williams WALKS IT OFF Florida State takes the opener over #3 Clemson in 11 innings. What a finish pic.twitter.com/nSUH1G5Byg Final review at the plate pic.twitter.com/NUvQwy3lxA The firing and acquiring of new coaches and over 30+ players exiting the program was needed as Mike Norvell trimmed the fat from the roster FSU football has been in a transition state over the past few months FSU added 16 transfer players in the Winter transfer portal window It's where they did most of the heavy lifting in acquiring players they expect to be major contributors That's why I explained to temper expectations in the Spring transfer portal window when some FSU fans grew impatient when the coaches were not chasing every player that entered the portal as they knew what to expect attrition-wise from the roster but they killed two birds with one stone with their acquisitions: FSU met its most pressing need in the secondary with Wilson They got someone to replace a walk-on quarterback and added two pieces to continue building toward the future on the offensive line Those two additions get me excited because it shows that Herb Hand understands he has to rebuild the mess that Alex Atkins left They give FSU about eight players in 2026 who'll be redshirt juniors or younger on the offensive line it allows quarterbacks and receivers to actually develop for a change They added a talented running back who could become a contributor if he remains healthy and he has two years of eligibility remaining They added another talented player in the secondary with multiple years of eligibility remaining and the receiver will serve a purpose for one year before allowing the young guys to take over in 2026 They got guys who could play roles in 2025 while adding talent and depth for the future © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"61","src":"62","url":"63"},{"type":"60","value":"64"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"67","url":"68"},{"type":"66","value":"69"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands father and former collegiate baseball player with a degree in physical education from UNC-Pembroke He is Native American (Lumbee) and has been a huge FSU fan since watching Chief Osceola plant the spear when he was about six years old In his spare time (there is none with three kids) he likes to work out and hang out with his family 5 HUGE Reasons Mike Norvell 2.0 turns FSU around quicker than the first time