Students found themselves returning to Florida State University (FSU) on Friday under somber circumstances, tasked with retrieving belongings left behind in the midst of a desperate evacuation. The scramble to escape a gunman left personal items such as laptops, handbags, and even shoes abandoned across the campus. In the evening, a vigil is planned to honor the victims and support the community.
A makeshift memorial took shape on Thursday night, as many gathered around a sidewalk on campus to pay their respects. Candles, flowers, teddy bears, and heartfelt notes were laid for the survivors and in memory of the tragedy. These spontaneous memorials appeared throughout the campus in Tallahassee, mere hours after the arrest and charging of a fellow student, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, for the shooting.
The incident, which occurred around the student union, was described in harrowing detail by witnesses. As chaos unfolded, students used whatever they could—desks, chairs, and even a piano—to barricade doors. In one classroom, students resorted to using chewing gum to adhere paper to windows in a bid to shield themselves from the shooter’s view.
A student named McKenzie Heeter recounted witnessing the gunman exit his car and open fire on Thursday at noon. Initially firing a rifle shot, the shooter then retrieved a handgun from his car, targeting a woman who was walking in front of him.
The two men who lost their lives during the shooting were not students, confirmed Jason Trumbower, the FSU police chief. Details regarding the victims remain limited at this time.
Carolina Sena, a 21-year-old accounting student, vividly recalled the terror that ensued inside the student union, stating that everyone was overcome with panic as they attempted to barricade themselves in an effort to seek safety.
Ikner, identified as the stepson of a longtime sheriff’s deputy, allegedly used his stepmother’s former service weapon in the attack. He was known to have connections with the local sheriff’s office youth advisory council, a committee aimed at bridging communication with young people. Currently hospitalized, Ikner has been uncooperative with authorities concerning the shooting.
Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil expressed that, due to Ikner’s involvement in various training programs with the sheriff’s office, his access to weapons was unsurprising.
Reid Seybold, an FSU senior, shared insights into Ikner’s past, revealing that both had previously attended Tallahassee State College before transferring to FSU. Seybold recounted Ikner’s expulsion from a political club for expressing unsettling rhetoric, including “white supremacist” views.
Overall, the university community mourns the tragic events while seeking solace and understanding in the aftermath of the violence.
