Teen Accused in FAMU Stadium Shooting Faces Adult Charges in Court

A 15-year-old boy accused of firing shots near Florida A&M University's Bragg Stadium over the weekend made his first appearance in court on Monday. Anthony Rivers III is facing multiple charges and officials have confirmed that he will be prosecuted as an adult.

Rivers III is charged with 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder as well as possession of a firearm by a delinquent. During the hearing, Judge Andrew Sheeran approved a request from the Tallahassee Police Department to seal the arrest records. The move is intended to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

State Attorney Jack Campbell explained that holding back certain information allows investigators to verify the truthfulness of statements from witnesses. He noted that police are still in the process of gathering evidence and speaking with those who were present during the incident.

Campbell urged members of the public to reach out to the Tallahassee Police Department with any information they may have. He specifically asked for photos or videos of the shooting, emphasizing that even seemingly minor details can be important.

"Even if you don't realize you caught something on film, even if you don't realize one of your kids or family members saw something that was relevant, we want to understand all of it. We want to get justice for this community," Campbell said.

The State Attorney expressed frustration regarding the limited video evidence currently available. He stated that he has only been able to view a portion of the incident captured on camera. Campbell attributed the lack of comprehensive footage to a shortage of operating surveillance cameras in the area.

He suggested that this gap in video capabilities is the result of past decisions made by local leaders. According to Campbell, those choices have slowed the development of the city's video monitoring infrastructure.

"I wish I had it all on video. I think this is a real representative example of the fact that we need to recognize that surveillance, particularly in situations like this, is incredibly valuable," Campbell said.

The shooting, which took place near the university stadium, left a dozen people injured. Several of the victims were children. One of the injured individuals remains in critical condition as medical teams continue to treat the casualties.

The case has drawn attention to both the severity of the incident and the challenges law enforcement faces in securing sufficient visual evidence for such high-profile cases in Tallahassee.