by Emily N. Fish for CT Against Gun Violence                                     

 

Tallahassee, FL – Three Florida State University (FSU) students were shot and wounded early Thursday morning by a gunman identified as Myron May, an attorney and graduate of FSU who later attended Texas Tech University’s law school. Of the three wounded, two were immediately taken to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare hospital, and the AP reported that one is in critical condition and the other is stable. The third wounded student was grazed by a bullet, and was treated and released at the scene.

May produced a handgun and opened fire in Strozier Library, where approximately 300 students were studying for finals, at about 12:30 am. Police Officers found May on an access ramp outside the library near the entrance, and after he refused to drop his weapon and fired a shot at the officers, they returned fire, killing May.

May had been staying with family friend Abigail Taunton in nearby Wewahitchka, FL, in a guest house on her property. Taunton told the Tallahassee Democrat that “he was a little down,” and that “he had some financial problems. Just going from a big law job to a smaller law job.” But she added that “We thought he was doing better and feeling better about himself. We’re just in shock like everybody else. This is just crazy.”

Keith Jones, a Kansas Teacher, was May’s roommate and friend throughout their college years. Jones told the Tallahassee Democrat that although there weren’t any signs that May would do something like this, “There is more to his mental health (status) that may have caused some of this. He was taking medications which caused paranoia. He used to see a therapist on a regular basis. He thought people were spying on him.”

John Thrasher, the President of FSU, is only in his 9^th day in office. Previously, as a state senator, Thrasher helped block an NRA-sponsored bill that would allow open carrying of weapons on school campuses, preschool through university.