TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Students on Florida State’s campus are coming together to support each other during this tough time. 

Thursday night, emotions were still running high as students laid flowers, balloons and candles at a makeshift memorial. Despite the tragic turn of events, they want to be out here supporting their school, the victims and their community.

“This is my school,” Jorge Rivera, an FSU Senior, said. “These are my peers and this is not the time to go to your rooms. This is the time to show people that you’re there for them.”

With arms wrapped around one another, Florida State University students console one another as they lay flowers and pray near the student union where a gunman opened fire on campus killing two people and injuring 6 others.

“You hear screams and you look out the window and it set in for everyone that this is serious. something really bad just happened,” said Eddie Burnham, an FSU Freshman.

Many students are still reliving the horrific moments from earlier today, like Christopher Malave, who was inside the student union. 

“Unfortunately I ended up tripping  on some stairs by the fsu sign right in front of the student union and ended up spraining my left ankle and got a bunch of bruises,” Malave said. 

Later today, he was finally able to reunite with his dad.

“It’s something I won’t forget, but I know this is a really tight knit community,” said Malave, “I think this is really going to bring us together as college students.” 

As the memorial grows, students say it’s important now more than ever to rally around each other.

“I would hate for this day to become just another statistic and I think we need to do something about this because it’s not okay,” said Sammy, an FSU Freshman. 

“I think it’s beautiful how everyone is coming together,” said Alexus, an FSU Freshman, “It’s so sweet. I love it.”

“We’re all here for each other. As a senior I hate to see this. This is not how I was planning to go out. I know we have each other, we’ll graduate and this will stay with us forever,” said Sofia Hartman, an FSU Senior.

Thursday tonight, they’re standing together and remaining FSU strong.