JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the injured victims of the recent shooting at Florida State University continue to recover, the impact of the tragedy resonates deeply with students at the University of North Florida.
Located over 170 miles away, UNF students are processing the situation and sending their thoughts and prayers to those affected.
“I thought it was crazy,” Jason Nguyen, a senior studying computer science, said.
He has a friend who works at the FSU student union, the site of the deadly shooting.
“I instantly called and texted him and asked if he was OK,” Nguyen said.
Fortunately, his friend was safe, but the images circulating on social media had left many students shaken.
“I was shocked,” Isabel Frederick, a UNF junior, said.
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Jonathan Orr said he was just at FSU for a tennis tournament. He said the situation was heartbreaking.
“I was just imagining it happened here,” Orr said. “All the chaos that would happen and just the people running and shouting. It’s just scared the crap out of me not gonna lie.”
It’s an incident that happened across the state, but hit close to home for many students. Frederick said she has many friends who attend FSU. Orr said his brother graduated from there.
Despite the distance, students at UNF want their peers at FSU to know they are not alone.
“My heart goes out to every single student at FSU,” Andres Evans, a senior, said. “We’re going to do our best to try and pull through it.”
The message on campus is clear: stay strong and support one another. “Just hold in there, and things will improve,” Nguyen said. “Hopefully, things like this don’t ever happen again.”
Dr. Moez Limayem, president of the University of North Florida, extended well wishes to the FSU community as well.
Our hearts go out to the Florida State University community as they navigate the tragic events at their student union today. Many of us have family, friends and colleagues who attend or work at FSU. I urge you to offer your support and check on them during this difficult time. I reached out to FSU President McCullough to assure him we are here to help the FSU community in any way we can. UNF counseling services are available for anyone who needs assistance. Student resources are available through the Dean of Students Office Care Services and additional resources for faculty and staff are available through UNF’s Employee Assistance Program.
Dr. Moez Limayem
