'He was targeting anyone he could see': Eyewitnesses share Florida State University shooting horror

A sunny afternoon at Florida State University turned into a nightmare when a gunman opened fire near the student union building, killing two and injuring six. Students who lived through the violence describe scenes of chaos, fear, and heartbreak to CNN.

Jayden D’Onofrio was spending time with a friend when he received a text about the active shooter. His other friend was hiding in the library. Without thinking twice, he ran toward danger to reach her. “It’s one of the most gutting feelings, not knowing if your friends are okay,” he said.

Inside the campus buildings, students received emergency alerts urging them to shelter in place. Some barricaded classrooms with desks. Sam Swartz , a senior, used his high school shooting drill experience to build a makeshift barrier in the student union basement. “The goal is always just to delay the shooter,” he said.

Others, like Will Schatz and Holden Mamula, ran as soon as they realised what was happening. “It’s insane to me how we keep having these incidents,” Mamula said. He sat on his knees, texting his parents while his classmates turned off the lights and hid.

McKenzie Heeter was leaving the student union when she saw the gunman shoot a woman in scrubs. “When he turned and fired at her, I realised he was targeting anyone. I just ran,” she said. A student hiding behind a bush caught the chaos on video—screams, bodies, and gunshots echoing through the once-peaceful campus.

Nearby, dozens ran into the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More. Father Luke Farabaugh, who was attending a staff celebration, sheltered terrified students. “I’ve never seen fear like that,” he said.

After the lockdown ended, survivors were evacuated. Some collapsed into hugs, others wept. “You don’t go to school to experience this,” said student Garrett Harvey.

D’Onofrio, who survived Parkland’s mass shooting as a child, said this is part of a painful pattern. So far in 2025, there have been 81 mass shootings in the United States. This isn’t the first time FSU has faced gun violence. In 2014, a shooter opened fire at the Strozier Library , injuring three.