FSU student killed, Tampa man wounded in accidental shooting

A friend, who was arrested, was showing off a rifle when the two students were shot.

A Florida State University student was killed and another, from Tampa, wounded early this morning in an accidental shooting off campus.

Ashley Cowie, 20, of Orange Park, died from a rifle shot to the chest. The bullet passed through her and hit Keith Savino, 20, in the wrist, university spokeswoman Browning Brooks said in a news release.

FSU student Evan Wilhelm was in his apartment about 1:15 a.m., showing several other students a new flashlight he had put on his rifle earlier in the day. Wilhelm, who thought the rifle wasn't loaded, kept turning the flashlight on and off, until the rifle accidentally went off, said FSU police Lt. Jason Trumbower.

Cowie died there, while Savino was taken to a local hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.

Wilhelm, 20, of Ponte Vedra Beach, was arrested on manslaughter charges and booked into the Leon County Jail.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our hearts and prayers are with the students' families at this terrible time," said FSU Dean of Students Jeanine Ward-Roof.

"We strive throughout the year to educate students on how to protect themselves and others, and we are heartsick when incidents such as this occur."

The shooting happened at 1944 Heritage Grove in Tallahassee, in a collection of properties where fraternity students live. Wilhelm is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha.

Police don't know if Wilhelm has a concealed weapons permit but said he admitted to drinking alcohol earlier in the day.

"We had a blood draw sample, and we're evaluating his intoxication through medical blood and we'll have those results here soon," Trumbower said at a news conference today.

The shots woke up Darren Desantis, an FSU student who lives at a neighboring fraternity house.

"Shots went off a little after one," Desantis said. "Woke me up. And that's when we went downstairs. Everyone was in the courtyard frantic and didn't know what to do."

"Sirens all night until about six in the morning," Desantis said. "It was bad."

Ashley Cowie was the 2008 homecoming queen at her high school, St. John's Country Day School. She was majoring in interior design.

Savino is one of Wilhelm's fraternity brothers. He went to Jesuit High School in Tampa and is majoring in risk management and insurance at FSU.

A resume he posted online says that he's treasurer of the FSU Insurance Society and worked last year at Tampa's DEX Imaging, installing software, troubleshooting problems and helping customers via remote web access.

Reached by phone this morning, Savino said he didn't want to talk about the shooting.

Firearms are prohibited on public university campuses in Florida. The fraternity buildings at Heritage Grove are private properties, but the FSU police has a contract to serve the area.

"We're consulting with the State Attorney's Office to see if other charges may (be warranted) for the gun charges," Trumbower said.

The university plans to provide victim advocates for the friends and families of the students involved in the shooting and counseling for any student who requests it.