TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Campus police killed a gunman early Thursday after three people were injured in a shooting at the library at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Authorities identified the shooter as FSU alumnus Myron May, who graduated in 2005 and went on to get his law degree at Texas Tech University School of Law. Police say May acted alone and there is no further threat to the public.
Police locked down the campus as they hunted for May. Students were warned of a "dangerous situation" and told to seek shelter and avoid doors or windows.
Officers finally confronted May on the steps of the library, ordering him to drop his weapon. Instead, May opened fire, and was shot dead by police.
Two students were hospitalized, one critically, and third was treated for injuries at the scene and released.
One student who witnessed the shooting told The Tallahassee Democrat he didn't realize May also fired at him until he found a bullet hours later, lodged in books in his backpack.
"I saw him point the gun at another student," 21-year-old senior Jason Derfuss told the Democrat.
"The gun went off two times and the student who was shot ... just gave out and crumpled to the ground ... [The shooter] was silent the whole time."
Derfuss fled Strozier Library for the safety of his car and quickly drove off campus as he called his dad and 911.
About 3:15 a.m., he dumped the contents of his backpack and discovered how close he came to being shot. A bullet had gone through one book and partially through another.
Mary Coburn, the school's vice president of student affairs, said Strozier Library was packed at the time of the shooting when 30 police officers descended on the scene. Students were told to hide while officers searched the area.
A freshman inside at the time said she heard five shots. Another student said the shots sounded like automatic gunfire.
"You hear people say 'a gun is in the building, a gun is in the building,'" freshman Allison Kope told WTSP-TV. "No one really knew what to do. You never think anything like this is going to happen to you."
The university is one of the largest in Florida with some about 40,000 students.
About 10 a.m., students held an impromptu vigil to honor the wounded.
