Julie Dixon was on FAMU’s campus as law enforcement from multiple agencies swarmed.
Her son, 17-year-old son Reese Dixon, a high school student, was in the Lawson Center playing in the robotics competition while she was outside.
The Mandeville, Louisiana, natives traveled to Tallahassee for the three-day robotics event, where 46 teams are competing.
“I thought the threat was outside, but apparently, they thought the threat was inside,” Julie Dixon told the Democrat.
She explained that police told individuals in the Lawson Center – including her son – to make their way outside while those who were outside were told to get in.
“We heard that there was an active shooter, or possibly an active shooter,” she said. “We had to put our hands up and get down on the ground. Some people that were already outside went down to the parking lot, and the police came through with their guns and asked us if we heard any shooting.”
“The ones (initially) inside had a little bit more of an emotional response than I did,” she added. “My son was outside in the parking lot and he was a little bit hysterical. When they sounded the all clear inside, “I just went and found my kid and hugged him.”
Reese Dixon said when a police officer came in the Lawson Center, waving and yelling at everyone to get out, it was a “surreal moment.”
“You don’t think – you just run and get out to get to safety,” Reese said with tears in his eyes.
“But then, once everybody’s out, you’re left with your thoughts and think about what really happened or what could have happened. I just thought about it a lot and it got to me really bad. I started hyperventilating. I got really lightheaded. It’s a lot to take in.”
He hugged his mother several times as he recounted the harrowing moments of fear.
Julie Dixon says it was a traumatic experience for her son, but she’s thankful the police on site handled the situation well.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Mother, son share ‘traumatic experience’ as police swarm FAMU building
Reporting by Alicia Devine and Tarah Jean, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
