- A prayer vigil at Bethel Church became a place of healing for many still processing the shock of the FSU shooting.
- An FSU student shared how he feared for his life while sheltering in place, describing the experience as something he’ll never forget.
- Mayor John Dailey pledged continued support for victims and praised the strength of Tallahassee as the investigation unfolds.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
One thing people often do after a tragedy... is gather.
I'm at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, where neighbors came together not just to pray, but to try and process the heartbreak of Thursday's shooting.
Inside the church, voices rose in song and prayer—holding on to faith as a way to find strength, and maybe even some peace.
"This is our university, this is our city, and to have such a tragedy take place and unfold the way how it did yesterday, it just hurts, it really hurts. But we are strong, we are wrapping our arms around Florida State University, wrapping our arms around Tallahassee, lifting up in prayer, and we will come back from this," said Dailey.
Mayor John Dailey was at the church to show support.
He told me his focus right now is being present—for the victims, their families, and everyone affected.
"I will tell you what I told them yesterday when I visited several of them, which is Tallahassee loves you, Florida State loves you, you are receiving incredible care, you are receiving a lot of prayers, and this community is going to wrap our arms around you, and we are going to help you heal," said Dailey.
I also spoke with students outside the church, including 22-year-old FSU senior Reid Seybold.
He told me he wasn't even supposed to be on campus that day.
He and his group were working on a project when people rushed in, shouting about a shooter.They locked the doors, turned off the lights—and waited in silence.
SOT/REID SEYBOLD / SENIOR
"We spent about an hour locked down, terrified for our lives, sending out last minute texts to those we love in some effort to let them know we love them if we never see them again," said Seybold.
"You felt like this might be it?," I asked him
"Absolutely. I was preparing myself for the possibility that I might die," said Seybold.
He says it was terrifying—the confusion, the fear, and the way they had to evacuate with their hands up.
"Then we came out, hands up, you know, if you've seen the videos from Parkland, felt just like it," said Seybold.
Now, all he says he can do is pray—for answers, for justice, and for healing, as investigators work to understand how and why this happened.
"I am here to tell you the Tallahassee Police Department investigative team is internationally award-winning and recognized as one of the best in the world, literally. They will do a thorough investigation, uh, we will prepare the state attorney, um, uh, as an institution, um, uh, to move forward with the case," said Seybold.
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey tells me he's encouraging neighbors to slow down, hug their loved ones, and lead with compassion.
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