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Florida yoga studio shooting: two killed before class members tackle gunman Florida yoga studio shooting: two killed before class members tackle gunman
(about 4 hours later)
Members of a yoga class tackled a gunman who killed two people and wounded five at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, preventing him from doing further harm, police said. Authorities believe the gunman killed himself. Members of a yoga class tackled a gunman who killed two people and wounded five at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, preventing him from doing further harm, police said. Authorities said the gunman killed himself.
Six people were shot and one pistol-whipped after the man walked into the studio, inside a small shopping center, said Tallahassee police chief Michael DeLeo late on Friday. Six people were shot and one pistol-whipped after the man walked into the studio, inside a small shopping center, said Tallahassee police chief Michael DeLeo late on Friday. Police identified the gunman as Scott Paul Beierle, 40. The two people he killed were Dr Nancy Van Vessem, 61, and Maura Binkley, 21.
Police identified the gunman as Scott Paul Beierle, 40. The two people he killed were Dr Nancy Van Vessem, 61, and Maura Binkley, 21. “The fact that we had people fight this attacker to help save other people and prevent him from doing additional harm speaks to the spirit of Tallahassee,” DeLeo said on Saturday.
“The fact that we had people fight this attacker to help save other people and prevent him from doing additional harm speaks to the spirit of Tallahassee,” DeLeo said in an early morning update on Saturday. Florida State president John Thrasher said Van Vessem and Binkley had ties to the university.
Florida State University president John Thrasher said Van Vessem and Binkley had ties to the university.
“To lose one of our students and one of our faculty members in this tragic and violent way is just devastating to the Florida State University family,” Thrasher said in a statement. “We feel this loss profoundly and we send our deepest sympathies to Maura’s and Nancy’s loved ones while we pray for the recovery of those who were injured.”“To lose one of our students and one of our faculty members in this tragic and violent way is just devastating to the Florida State University family,” Thrasher said in a statement. “We feel this loss profoundly and we send our deepest sympathies to Maura’s and Nancy’s loved ones while we pray for the recovery of those who were injured.”
DeLeo said police were asking for anyone who saw anything unusual around the time of the shooting to contact authorities. He said the gunman acted alone and that no connection between the shooter and the victims or the location had yet been determined. Police would be looking at social media, cell phone records and interviewing friends and neighbors, he said, to try to ascertain a motive. DeLeo said police were asking for anyone who saw anything unusual around the time of the shooting to contact authorities. He said the gunman acted alone and no connection between him and the victims or the location had been determined. Police would be looking at social media, cell phone records and interviewing friends and neighbors, he said.
A public records search showed Beierle was charged with misdemeanor battery for incidents in 2012 and 2016, and criminal trespassing in 2014. A public records search showed Beierle was charged with misdemeanor battery for incidents in 2012 and 2016, and criminal trespassing in 2014. On Saturday afternoon, authorities said he had been “the subject of prior calls for service in the Tallahassee area related to harassment of young women”.
Capital Health Plan, where Van Vessem worked as chief medical director, called her a “guiding, visionary force”. In a statement, it said: “Her dedication, caring, leadership, humanity and experience made her one of the most respected, inspiring, and accomplished medical professionals in the state and country. Our hearts are filled with sorrow and prayers for her family. We all have been so blessed to have Nancy in our lives.” Capital Health Plan, where Van Vessem was chief medical director, called her a “guiding, visionary force”. In a statement, it said: “Her dedication, caring, leadership, humanity and experience made her one of the most respected, inspiring, and accomplished medical professionals in the state and country. Our hearts are filled with sorrow and prayers for her family. We all have been so blessed to have Nancy in our lives.”
The city commissioner, Scott Maddox, visited the scene. He said on Facebook: “In my public service career I have had to be on some bad scenes. This is the worst. Please pray.” City commissioner Scott Maddox visited the scene. He said on Facebook: “In my public service career I have had to be on some bad scenes. This is the worst. Please pray.”
A witness, Elle Welling, said she was leaving a liquor store across the street from the shopping center and saw at least three people being lifted into ambulances. A resident, Elle Welling, said she was leaving a liquor store across the street from the shopping center and saw at least three people being lifted into ambulances.
“You don’t think about this in Tallahassee and now you have to,” said Welling, 26.“You don’t think about this in Tallahassee and now you have to,” said Welling, 26.
The plaza is home to popular restaurants, a jewelry store, a framing shop, a hair salon and other businesses. Erskin Wesson, 64, said he was eating dinner with his family at a restaurant below the yoga studio when they heard the gunshots above them.The plaza is home to popular restaurants, a jewelry store, a framing shop, a hair salon and other businesses. Erskin Wesson, 64, said he was eating dinner with his family at a restaurant below the yoga studio when they heard the gunshots above them.
“We just heard ‘pow, pow, pow, pow’,” he said. “It sounded like a limb falling on a tin roof and rolling.”“We just heard ‘pow, pow, pow, pow’,” he said. “It sounded like a limb falling on a tin roof and rolling.”
The restaurant owner came by a short time later, asking if anyone was a doctor, Wesson said. His stepdaughter is an emergency room nurse and helped paramedics for about an hour, he said. The restaurant owner came by, asking if anyone was a doctor, Wesson said. His stepdaughter is an emergency room nurse and helped paramedics for about an hour, he said.
Tallahassee’s mayor, Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor, tweeted that he was breaking off the campaign trail to return to Tallahassee. He had earlier appeared at a campaign event with Barack Obama. Tallahassee’s mayor, Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor, tweeted that he was leaving the campaign trail to return to Tallahassee. He had earlier appeared at an event with Barack Obama.
“I’m deeply appreciative of law enforcement’s quick response to the shooting at the yoga facility in Tallahassee today,” he wrote. “No act of gun violence is acceptable. I’m in close communication with law enforcement officials and will be returning to Tallahassee tonight.”“I’m deeply appreciative of law enforcement’s quick response to the shooting at the yoga facility in Tallahassee today,” he wrote. “No act of gun violence is acceptable. I’m in close communication with law enforcement officials and will be returning to Tallahassee tonight.”
Republican governor Rick Scott, who is challenging the Democrat Bill Nelson for his US Senate seat, called DeLeo and the head of the Florida department of law enforcement.Republican governor Rick Scott, who is challenging the Democrat Bill Nelson for his US Senate seat, called DeLeo and the head of the Florida department of law enforcement.
“I will remain in constant communication with law enforcement,” Scott tweeted. “We have offered state assistance.” “I will remain in constant communication with law enforcement,” he tweeted. “We have offered state assistance.”
Tallahassee’s crime and murder rate has been an issue in the gubernatorial race, with Gillum’s opponent, Republican former US representative Ron DeSantis, calling the capital Florida’s most crime-ridden city – a claim that is incorrect.Tallahassee’s crime and murder rate has been an issue in the gubernatorial race, with Gillum’s opponent, Republican former US representative Ron DeSantis, calling the capital Florida’s most crime-ridden city – a claim that is incorrect.
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Gun crimeGun crime
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