TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Communities in Tallahassee and across the state are reeling and coming together following the shooting that took place on the campus of Florida State University Thursday.

FAMU baseball coach Jamey Shouppe grew up 45 miles from Tallahassee. He attended FSU, met his wife there, and even sent one of his children there.

His current roster also has about a dozen players from Tallahassee, and he says he first heard about what was happening from his wife, who is a nurse at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

What You Need To Know

  • FAMU Baseball in Central Florida taking on Bethune Cookman in Sanford

  • Jamey Shouppe played, attended, and coached at FSU prior to FAMU

  • A dozen players on FAMU's roster are from Tallahassee

The Florida A&M baseball team has been on the road for the past week, and is wrapping up a road trip in Sanford Saturday.

 “My wife is a nurse at TMH,” Shouppe said. “The first I heard of it was when she called and said, 'Something is going on.'“

His wife told him what was happening before he and his players heard about it on the news.

“She said ambulances are coming in and out of here,” he said. “Unusual pace, and so that alerted everybody.”

As victims started to arrive at TMH, the coach began checking in with all his players to make sure they were not only OK with the news, but not directly impacted.

“A little somber, it’s hard to overcome,” Shouppe said. “They wanted to make sure their family was OK and you never know, Tallahassee is somewhat a big city, but small city.”

Starting first baseman Josue Figueroa, an Orange City native who goes to FAMU, said his sister is attending Florida State, and she was on campus when the shooting occurred. Within minutes, he was checking on her to make sure she was OK and safe.

“When I found out, he was the first contact that I made,” Shouppe said. “To make sure he could be in contact with his sister cause it is a very close family.”

Speaking of family, about a dozen players on the FAMU roster are from Tallahassee.

This weekend the Rattlers may be facing their big rival for a baseball series, but they admit it’s hard to not think about their cross-town rival who they practice and play just blocks away from. FAMU will return to Tallahassee from Sanford, Saturday evening.

The FAMU campus was closed Friday to show solidarity with FSU.