TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - On Friday, the Tallahassee Police announced that the investigation regarding the Strozier Library Shooting is officially closed.
31-year-old Myron May opened fire at Florida State University's Strozier Library right after midnight on November 20th. Two students and one library employee were injured. In the documents, TPD labeled this as "attempted premeditated murder."
TPD says that May used a semi-automatic handgun.
Investigation documents were released, which include victim and officer affidavits and documents and text messages from Myron May.
One affidavit, from library employee Paige McPhadden, says that May attempted to shoot her. She was working alongside Nathan Scott, who was the employee injured during the shooting.
Jason Derfuss was shot in his bookbag, according to documents. He says that he heard gunshots as he was leaving the library. He says that he called his dad, then 911, and then went home. That's when he discovered that there was a hole in his backpack and that his books were mangled. Documents say the Derfuss told police that he did not feel the bullet hit his backpack.
In the documents, Elijay Velez, who was shot at multiple times and grazed on his torso, says that he was walking out of the library when he heard something that "sounded like a firecracker." When he was walking towards the Bellamy Building, documents say that's when he saw two kids by tables - one of the presumably Farhan "Ronny" Ahmed.
Velez saw Ahmed get shot, according to documents. He says that May then started walking towards his direction and shot at him.
Library employee Nathan Scott, who was shot in the leg while hiding behind the front desk in the library, says that he first found out about the gunman when he heard a shot from outside the library. Documents say that he just thought it was a firecracker or kids messing around. He says that he heard several more shots from across the walkway in front of the library.
Documents say that Scott was under the desk when May came around and shot him.
Farhan "Ronny" Ahmed was shot multiple times near picnic tables outside the library. Ahmed is now paralyzed from the waist down.
In his affidavit, Ahmed says that he was at a table with his friend (Robert Cohen) when he heard a "pop." He looked in the direction of the sound and saw smoke rising. That's when, according to the documents, he saw May walking around the bushes towards them and pulled the gun up at Ahmed, shooting him three times.
He told Cohen to call police. Ahmed says that Cohen called the police and then handed the phone to him, so he could tell the dispatcher that he had been shot.
Documents say that the first shot dropped him and that was the one that severed his spine. Another shot hit his right upper arm and came to rest approximately four centimeters from his heart.
In the documents, Robert Coheh, Ahmed's friend, says that a bullet hit his clothing. He says that after May show Ahmed. He called 911 and saw May head inside the library. Documents say that when May walked back outside, Cohen handed Ahmed his phone and ran towards an FSU Police car.
Chronologically, this is how the events occured:
- May shot Jason Derfuss, hitting his backpack as he left the library.
- Then, May headed towards Ronny Ahmed and Robert Cohen at the picnic tables.
- May fired multiple rounds, shooting Ahmed.
- May walked towards the library, shooting Elijay Velez.
- May went inside the library.
- May walked up to the security desk and shot Nathan Scott in the leg.
- May pointed the gun at Paige McPhadden.
- He attempted to shoot McPhadden, but documents say that he attempted to shoot her but "his firearm was empty or he had a malfunction with it."
According to documents, physical evidence on the scene included his cell phone, which had "numerous text messages where May became defensive about not having schizophrenia."
Officers also found his laptop at a residence in Tallahassee. Documents say that he had three videos, where he talked about feeling like a "targeted individual." One of the videos was 40 minutes in length.
He left a five page document at the residence, called "My Experiences as a Targeted Individual."
Documents show that he left his car at at McDonald's at 672 West Tennessee Street. The following is what the document says verbatim was in his car:
- On the front passenger floorboard was a gun receipt from Bay Gun's and Gear located in Panama City, Florida. The receipt was dated 11/13/2014, and was for a Ruger Model SR22 Pistol and 2 boxes of Aguila .22 ammunition. May came to Tallahassee prior to the end of the three day waiting period and had not picked up the firearm.
- Also on the front passenger floor board were 2 boxes of Aguila .22 caliber ammunition.
- In the glove box was a badge for the 3rd District Attorney's Office in Las Cruces, NM.
- In the rear cargo area of the vehicle was a .12 gauge Winchester Pump Shotgun with serial number L1543223.
- Also in the rear cargo area was a black BB Gun modeled after a "Beretta".
The documents revealed personal information that May wrote himself.
Police have released the documents of the case on their website. We are choosing not to upload the file because of the private information about the victims that is included.
