FSU Panama City Holds Vigil for Tallahassee Campus Shooting Anniversary

Students, faculty, and staff gathered to remember victims and support the community one year after tragedy struck the main FSU campus.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 2:48am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a single red rose petal lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conveying a sense of solemnity and loss.A somber remembrance of the lives lost in the Tallahassee campus shooting casts a shadow over the FSU community one year later.Panama City Today

One year after a gunman opened fire at Florida State University's Tallahassee campus, killing two people and injuring several others, students, faculty, and staff at the FSU Panama City campus held a candlelight vigil to honor the lives lost and show support for the Seminole community still healing from the tragedy.

Why it matters

The shooting at the Tallahassee campus deeply impacted the entire FSU community, including students and staff at the Panama City location. The vigil allowed the Panama City campus to come together, remember those affected, and demonstrate the university's resilience and unconquered spirit in the face of such a traumatic event.

The details

The vigil featured students placing flowers at the FSU letters, praying, reflecting, and remembering the victims. Many attendees had friends or coworkers directly affected by the shooting and expressed ongoing fear and worry from that day. Organizers said the event was about more than just remembering - it was about standing together as a community and ensuring those impacted are never forgotten.

  • The vigil was held on April 18, 2026 - one year after the Tallahassee campus shooting.

The players

Bryanna Morgan

Intramurals and rec coordinator with student affairs at FSU Panama City.

Elyza Biondi

Student government council programming chair at FSU Panama City.

Irvin Clark

Associate dean of students and strategic initiatives at FSU Panama City.

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What they’re saying

“For this pray vigil it's really just to show community support and remember that we are together and it's really important to have community no matter where especially between campuses for FSU students and we just need to hold on to that.”

— Bryanna Morgan, Intramurals and rec coordinator with student affairs

“To me personally, it's really important because i have friends at the Tallahassee campus… even coworkers who were in that building directly affected. I was very scared for all of my friends and all my coworkers.”

— Bryanna Morgan, Intramurals and rec coordinator with student affairs

“I remember sitting in my apartment and I remember receiving the same alerts Tallahassee was receiving and we didn't know what was going on because we were under the same information they were, and it was scary I have a lot of friends and even some family that go to that campus so I remember worrying about them trying to get in contact with their parents and seeing if they were okay.”

— Elyza Biondi, Student government council programming chair

“That resiliency we are a very resilient university, and we too shall move forward and even though we are going to move forward we will never forget. Unconquered and we have that unconquered spirit as Florida state university seminoles.”

— Irvin Clark, Associate dean of students and strategic initiatives

What’s next

FSU is reminding students that support resources are available for anyone who needs someone to talk to.

The takeaway

The vigil at the Panama City campus demonstrated the strength and unity of the broader FSU community in the face of tragedy, as students, faculty, and staff came together to honor victims, support one another, and reaffirm the university's unconquered spirit.