Tallahassee teen charged as adult in FAMU stadium shooting

Anthony Rivers III, a 15-year-old resident of Tallahassee, appeared in court on Monday to face charges as an adult in a shooting near Florida A&M University's Bragg Stadium. The incident occurred over the weekend and left twelve people injured, including several children. One victim remains in critical condition.

Judge Andrew Sheeran presided over the first court appearance and approved a request from the Tallahassee Police Department to seal the arrest records. State Attorney Jack Campbell stated that sealing the records is necessary because the investigation is still active. He explained that holding back certain information allows investigators to determine if witnesses are telling the truth.

Rivers faces eleven counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a delinquent. Campbell said police are continuing to gather evidence and speak with witnesses. He urged members of the public to contact the Tallahassee Police Department if they have photos or video of the incident. Campbell noted that even if people do not realize they captured relevant footage, the department wants to review all available media.

Campbell expressed frustration regarding the limited surveillance coverage in the area. He said he has only seen part of the incident on video and attributed the lack of camera footage to decisions made by local leaders that slowed down video capabilities. He described the situation as a representative example of why surveillance is valuable in such cases.

The shooting took place near the university stadium, a high-traffic area for students and staff. The seal on the arrest records will keep the details of the case out of public view until further notice. Police continue to ask residents to share any media they may have from the weekend.