TPD releases more details on weekend mass shooting at parking lot gathering

William L. Hatfield and Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat
·2 min read
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The Tallahassee Police Department has released new information after gunfire in the parking lot of an Apalachee Parkway shopping center left two men dead and two others with gunshot injuries early Sunday morning.

According to an online update Monday morning, TPD responded shortly after 2:30 a.m. to Parkway Center after getting a call about gunshots. They found "multiple" shooting victims, including two men who died at the scene.

In addition to the fatalities, two others were injured, an adult male and adult female sustained non-life threatening injuries.

"It is unclear if the victims were the intended targets," TPD wrote

"The circumstances leading up to the shooting are still under investigation, but preliminary findings suggest that a large group was gathered in the parking lot just before the incident," TPD said.

Detectives ask that anyone who may have information on the case to call TPD at 850-891-4200. Witness can also call the anonymous Crime Solvers line at 850-574-TIPS.

The mass shooting happened as residents, officials and first responders are still grappling with the impacts of the twin tornadoes that lashed wide swaths of Tallahassee with winds as high as 100 mph.

The USA TODAY Network and Tallahassee Democrat define a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people are hit with gunfire, even if there are no fatalities.

Multiple people were shot and two men were killed early Sunday, May 12, 2024, at the Parkway Center shopping center on Apalachee Parkway. At least a dozen Tallahassee Police Department vehicles were on the scene around 5 a.m.
Multiple people were shot and two men were killed early Sunday, May 12, 2024, at the Parkway Center shopping center on Apalachee Parkway. At least a dozen Tallahassee Police Department vehicles were on the scene around 5 a.m.

Officers release information on two ongoing investigations

Officers responded to a stabbing on the 1500 block of Pepper Drive shortly at around 9:50 p.m. on Saturday.

Once at the scene, officers located an adult male suffering from serious injuries and immediately began administering aid. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

According to detectives' preliminary findings, the stabbing occurred following a physical altercation in the residence and appears to be "an isolated incident." A suspect has been identified but no arrests have been made at this time.

Only a few hours later on Sunday at around 2:33 a.m. TPD officers would also respond to the 700 block of Westcott Drive following reports of an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital for his injuries.

"Findings indicate the victim was driving along Tharpe Street and Monticello Drive when gunshots were fired," TPD wrote in the incident alert. "The victim drove to a home in the 700 block of Westcott Drive where he met up with first responders."

No suspects have been identified and the shooting remains an active investigation.

So far in 2024, 13 people have been killed and 24 injured in 31 serious shooting incidents in Tallahassee and Leon County, according to a Democrat analysis of gun violence. At this time in 2023, three people were killed and around 26 injured in 31 shootings in Tallahassee and Leon County.

Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at aotero@tallahassee.com or on Twitter/X @ari_v_otero.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee police release more details on weekend mass shooting