A tragic shooting at Florida State University has left two men dead and at least six others wounded. The incident unfolded when a 20-year-old individual, identified as a student of the university, opened fire on campus, causing panic among students and faculty. The chaos prompted many to barricade themselves or flee, leaving behind personal belongings in their haste to escape.
The assailant, believed to be Phoenix Ikner, the son of a sheriff’s deputy, reportedly used his mother’s former service weapon to carry out the attack. Although a motive has yet to be determined, authorities confirmed that the gun used was a handgun retained by his mother for personal use after her department upgraded to new firearms.
Law enforcement quickly responded to the scene, and Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell stated that officers shot and wounded the gunman after he failed to comply with their commands. The victims who lost their lives were not students, according to Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower, who declined to provide further details about them.
In the aftermath, the university community began the healing process with memorials comprising candles and flowers scattered across the campus, and a vigil was organized. A statement from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare confirmed that the injured, five of whom were hit by gunfire and one hurt while fleeing, were in fair condition.
The suspect, a member of the local sheriff’s youth advisory council, was involved in various training programs that provided him access to weapons, as noted by Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil. As of the last update, Ikner was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Eyewitnesses described the harrowing scene as emergency vehicles from numerous agencies converged on the campus. A student recounted witnessing the shooter attempt to use a shotgun, which jammed, prompting him to retrieve a handgun from his vehicle before continuing the assault.
As shots rang out, students scrambled for safety, and some employed emergency response protocols they had learned. The incident reignited national conversations on campus safety and gun control, with President Donald Trump expressing his condolences and reiterating his stance against new gun legislation.
This tragedy is a painful reminder of a similar event in 2014 when a shooting at the university’s main library injured three people. The latest violence prompted the university to cancel classes and home athletic events for the remainder of the week as the community grapples with the impact of the attack.