A gunman opened fire at Florida State University, killing two people and injuring six others. Both victims were fathers with strong ties to the campus and local community.
On April 17, 2025, a shooting took place at Florida State University in Tallahassee. Two men were killed in the attack before the gunman was taken into custody. The victims have been identified as Robert Morales of Miami-Dade County and Tiru Chabba of Greenville, South Carolina.
Morales was a South Florida native and a well-known figure in Tallahassee’s food community. He was a Florida State University graduate and a longtime employee. He served as the university’s dining coordinator for nearly ten years.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he has also held the role of CEO at Black Bean Food Group since 2004. He previously worked as an assistant football coach at Leon High School, just a mile from campus. Morales helped found Gordos Cuban Cuisine, a well-known restaurant in Tallahassee.He often prepared Cuban meals and pastries for university staff and once worked closely with chefs to provide allergen-safe meals for a student with severe dietary restrictions.
Florida State University Vice President Kyle Clark said at a campus vigil, “He made our dining experience feel like home for every student, especially those from South Florida.” Clark added, “He didn’t just do the job. He lived the job.”
On the day of the shooting, Morales had planned to meet his longtime friend Carlos Cruz and Cruz’s son at the student union, something they did regularly on Thursdays. However, Cruz’s son stayed in his dorm that day instead.Cruz, who has known Morales and his family for over 30 years, praised Morales’s passion for Cuban cuisine and his ability to grow Gordos into a thriving enterprise. “That passion for cuisine and Cuban food was just taken to the next level, because now here he is helping to run a multi, multi, multi million dollar operation and deciding who and what gets into the university,” Cruz said…CONTINUE READING