A 15-year-old accused of opening fire near Florida A&M University's Bragg Stadium over the weekend will be charged as an adult, officials say. Anthony Rivers III appeared in court Monday in connection with the shooting, which left a dozen people injured, including several children. One victim remains in critical condition.
Rivers faces 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder, along with a charge of possession of a firearm by a delinquent. At his first court appearance, Judge Andrew Sheeran granted a request by the Tallahassee Police Department to seal the arrest records as authorities continue investigating the incident.
State Attorney Jack Campbell said keeping those records sealed is necessary while investigators are still collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. He explained that withholding some details allows authorities to assess whether the information people provide is truthful. The investigation remains underway, with police continuing to gather accounts of what happened near the stadium.
Campbell asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact Tallahassee police. He specifically encouraged people who have photographs or video from the incident to share them with investigators, saying that material could help authorities develop a fuller understanding of the shooting.
That appeal also extended to people who may not recognize the significance of something they recorded or something a relative witnessed. Campbell urged families to consider whether their children or other family members had seen anything relevant. “We want to get justice for this community,” he said.
Campbell said he has been able to view video showing only part of the incident. He expressed frustration with what he described as a shortage of working surveillance cameras in the area, connecting that concern to the limits of the footage available to him.
He attributed the surveillance limitations to decisions by leaders that he said had slowed video capabilities. Campbell argued that the shooting demonstrated the value of surveillance, particularly in circumstances where recordings can help authorities examine an incident. His comments emphasized his desire for a more complete video record of what occurred.
As police continue gathering evidence, Campbell's request for photographs, recordings and witness information remains part of the effort to establish what happened. The arrest records will be kept from public view under the request Sheeran approved Monday.
