FSU Shooting Suspect Phoenix Ikner Shared ‘Concerning' Views, Classmates Say
Phoenix Ikner, the 20-year-old student arrested following a mass shooting at Florida State University on Thursday, had previously expressed "concerning" views around race and racial justice campaigners, according to a number of his former classmates.
Ikner allegedly made the remarks at Tallahassee State College, which he attended before transferring to Florida State University to study political science.
Newsweek contacted Tallahassee State College along with the FBI for comment on Saturday via email outside of regular office hours.
On Thursday, two people were killed and another six injured after a gunman opened fire apparently at random at Florida State University. Law enforcement shot and wounded Ikner, the alleged shooter, who was then taken into custody. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said Ikner invoked his right to remain silent after being arrested.
Revell added that there did not appear to be any connection between Ikner and those who were shot, and the motive behind the attack remains unknown. Ikner is the stepson of Leon County deputy sheriff Jessica Ikner, and allegedly used her former service pistol to carry out Thursday's attack. Police said they also recovered a shotgun at the scene along with an AR-15 style rifle in the vehicle Ikner drove to the campus.
Speaking to CNN, several of Ikner's former Tallahassee State College classmates alleged he expressed extreme political views whilst studying at the institution.
These included Lucas and Logan Luzietti, two brothers, who shared a national government class with Ikner during the spring of 2023. Lucas said Ikner had expressed "concerning rhetoric" and "would joke about the deaths of minorities."
Lucas also said Ikner complained that Black people were lowering property prices in his neighborhood, said Joe Biden was not the legitimate U.S. president and argued Rosa Parks should have given up her seat during the Montgomery bus boycott. Referring to the gay rights campaign, Lucas added: "He talked about how Stonewall was bad for our society."
Riley Pusins, the former president of a Tallahassee State College political discussion club that Ikner attended, said he had referred to Black Lives Matter and pro-Palestinian demonstrators as "dirty rats."
Andrea Miranda, another senior figure in the discussion club, said Ikner's attitude towards minorities was "very demeaning and belittling." They added: "He never really had respect for anyone in the club that didn't share his personal political views."
Another former Tallahassee State College student, Reid Seybold, who also transferred to Florida State University, said Ikner had been asked to leave the discussion club at the former after making comments which went "beyond conservatism."
Seybold said: "He had continually made enough people uncomfortable where certain people had stopped coming. That's kind of when we reached the breaking point with Phoenix, and we asked him to leave."
However, David Batista, who took a class with Ikner on authoritarian regimes at Florida State University, said there were "no red flags" and he "never said anything outrageous."
Batista added: "It never struck me that he was extreme as they say he is."
Newsweek has not independently verified the authenticity of the comments alleged to have been made by Ikner.
Speaking to CNN, Florida State University President Richard McCullough said he was not aware of any concerns about Ikner conduct ahead of the shooting.
Reacting to the shooting on Thursday during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Donald Trump said: "I've been fully briefed as far as where we are right now. It's a shame, it's a horrible thing ... horrible that things like this take place."
Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on X: "Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding."
FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X: "My team and I have been briefed on the tragic shooting at Florida State and our FBI Jacksonville team is on the ground assisting. We will provide full support to local law enforcement as needed. Please keep the FSU community in your prayers."
Police have said Ikner will be held in custody after he is released from hospital. He is expected to face a range of criminal charges including first degree murder.
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