An active shooter alert on Thursday sent shockwaves through Florida State University as students and faculty scrambled for safety. Among them was Charlotte Bouyea, a 19-year-old freshman from Westfield, whose harrowing ordeal unfolded in the confines of a campus classroom. As she sheltered with a teacher and another student, uncertainty and fear loomed large.
Her father, William Bouyea, endured an agonizing wait of 24 minutes before learning that his daughter was safe. Their tense text exchange painted a vivid picture of the chaos on campus. Shortly after the alert sounded, Charlotte texted her father at 12:09 p.m., sharing her precarious situation. “I can’t make noise right now,” she relayed, hiding from the danger just outside her classroom door.
Charlotte later recounted that she initially believed the disturbance was a simple altercation that escalated. However, it soon became clear that the threat was a former student, Phoenix Ikner, who had transformed her beloved campus into a scene of violence.
Ikner, 20, identified as the suspect, allegedly used his stepmother’s weapon in the attack that left two dead and six injured. His actions ended when police wounded and apprehended him. The tragedy unfolded swiftly as Ikner roamed the university grounds, firing his weapon an hour after his arrival.
The shootings preceded a “United Against Hate” march, organized to commemorate Maura Binkley, a student slain in a 2018 mass shooting nearby. The campus community is grappling with the loss, as family members identified Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba, two food service workers, among the deceased. The six injured individuals are anticipated to recover, though the emotional scars remain.
Charlotte, who did not know the suspect or the victims, described the chilling impact on the university. As finals approach, academic activities have been momentarily suspended, and students have united in remembrance, gathering at a campus statue symbolizing resilience.
Reflecting on the incident, Charlotte expressed the daunting reality of campus life, acknowledging the inherent risks. Despite the trauma, she highlighted the community’s resilience, emphasizing the support they offer one another. “It’s difficult to feel completely safe,” she admitted, “but we lean on each other.”
Her father, William, alongside his wife Gabby, could finally breathe a sigh of relief at 12:33 p.m. when Charlotte informed them of her safe evacuation by police, amidst a backdrop of tears and relief.
