At least 12 hurt, including six children, in shooting near Florida football stadium

At least 12 people were injured in a shooting near a football stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, authorities have said. Six of the injured are children. The incident happened on Saturday during homecoming weekend for Florida A&M University.

Police said 11 of the victims sustained gunshot wounds, and at least three victims sustained serious injuries. The injured were taken for treatment, though police gave no further detail on the condition of each victim.

A preliminary police investigation indicates that a fight broke out before the shooting. The shooting followed a football game in a crowded area. The situation apparently escalated amid the crowds after the match.

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters that no arrests had been made. That means the attacker or attackers remain at large, and police are working to identify those involved.

Florida A&M University said on social media that the shooting happened near its campus. The university reassured people that the campus remained safe.

Homecoming weekend is a festive time for the university, when former and current students gather and the area takes on a celebratory mood. A shooting in a crowded place after a football game during such a weekend has spread alarm among local residents.

The presence of six children among the injured makes the incident all the more worrying. Early information suggests the attack took place amid families who had come to watch the game, though police have not detailed the nature of the children's injuries.

In their statement, police said the preliminary investigation points to a fight preceding the gunfire. What caused the fight and who was involved remains unclear. Investigators are gathering witness accounts and evidence from the scene.

The incident has raised questions about security in the area. What measures were in place to prevent such violence at a large public gathering is also under discussion, though police have made no further comment on that so far.

Gun violence in crowded public places is not new in the United States. This latest incident near a stadium has revived that continuing concern: even gatherings built around sport are not spared.

The police's main task now is to identify and arrest the attackers and to piece together the full sequence from the fight to the shooting. More information is expected as the investigation progresses.

The injured are receiving treatment, and authorities are monitoring at least three seriously injured victims. A further police update may bring news of arrests or of the attackers' identities.