FSU shooting: 2 dead, 6 hurt; suspected shooter identified as student, son of Florida school resource deputy
The Brief
Victims: 2 people killed, 6 others hurt, officials said.
Suspect: Identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a student at FSU and son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy.
Timeline: FSU first issued an active shooter alert around 12 p.m. Thursday.
Where is FSU? Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida, home of the state Capitol. More than 40,000 students attend FSU.
Student reunification: Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, the indoor arena at FSU.
A suspected student at Florida State University pulled out a gun and began shooting as students and others gathered for lunch Thursday near the Student Union, officials said. Two people – said to not be students – were killed, and six other people were hurt.
The suspected gunman, a 20-year-old FSU student and the son of a Florida school resource deputy, was shot by law enforcement and taken to the hospital for treatment, officials said.
FSU has canceled classes Thursday and Friday at its Tallahassee campus. All athletic events in Tallahassee are canceled through Sunday, the school said. A vigil will be held Friday at 5 p.m. at the Langford Green in front of the Unconquered Statue, FSU said.
What we know
Florida State University has canceled classes Thursday and Friday in the wake of the shooting. All FSU athletic events in Tallahassee have been canceled through Sunday, April 20.
"The Student Union and the surrounding area is still considered an active crime scene. The public and campus community should avoid the area. Students should not return to the Student Union to retrieve personal property at this time," the University said in a statement on its FSU Alert web page.
Several buildings are closed: Student Union, Bellamy, HCB Classroom Building, Rovetta A&B, Moore Auditorium, Shaw, Pepper, Strozier and Dirac Libraries, Hecht House and Carraway. Students are asked to stay away and not return to get any belongings that were left behind.
FSU said Thursday night all victims' families had been contacted.
"All victims' families have been contacted. Many individuals have been separated from their belongings, including their personal cell phones, as a result of today's events. We continue to urge all students and staff to contact their family members as soon as possible to let them know they are safe and well."
VIGIL: A vigil will be held on Friday, April 18, at 5 p.m. at the Langford Green in front of the Unconquered Statue, FSU said.
FBI: Anyone who has video, photos, or audio related to the shooting at FSU, can submit it to the FBI, here.
The backstory
The shooting was reported around noon on Thursday, April 17. At 12:02 p.m., FSU sent out an emergency alert warning about reports of an active shooter near the Student Union. It urged students to shelter in place, lock doors and windows, and to "be prepared to take additional protective measures."
At 3 p.m., the university said in an update that the threat had been neutralized and that law enforcement was actively clearing rooms. Tallahassee Police announced at the same time that the campus had been secured, though multiple law enforcement agencies – local, state, federal – were on site and at the school. At 4:30 p.m., officials confirmed 2 deaths, 6 injuries, and that the suspected shooter was in custody.
The suspected gunman has been identified by law enforcement as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a current student at Florida State University. He is also the son of a school resource deputy with the Leon County Sheriff's Office, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said.
He had a handgun and a shotgun in his possession, officials said, adding that the handgun belonged to his mom, the sheriff's deputy. It was her service weapon at one point, but at some point she purchased it, so it was her personal handgun, Chief Revell said. He said it is common that when a gun gets upgraded or replaced, that the law enforcement officer has the option to purchase it.
The suspect declined to talk with deputies about the shooting and invoked his 5th Amendment right. Officials believe that the suspect's gunman acted alone.
Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil said Ikner was a longtime member of the sheriff's department's Youth Advisory Council.
" The YAC is designed to bring topics of mutual interest to Leon County youth and local law enforcement directly to the attention of Sheriff McNeil through open dialogue. Members of the YAC will develop skills in advocacy, leadership, and team building while creating strategies to address community issues. They will use their voices to share their experiences to help make the youth of Leon County – ALLin!" reads a web page on the Leon County Sheriff's Office website.
Two people were killed in the FSU shooting, and six others were injured. Florida officials said the two people killed were not students, but did not elaborate further. Officials also did not specify if any of the six people hurt were students, faculty members, or visitors to FSU's campus.
A spokesperson for Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare confirmed to FOX 35 Orlando earlier Thursday that it was treating at least six patients. At the time, one was listed in critical condition, while the others were listed in serious condition.
What they're saying
FSU President Richard McCullough
"Today, we experienced a tragic and senseless act of violence at the heart of our campus. At lunchtime, an active shooter opened fire at the Student Union. Two were killed. Six others were injured. We are heartbroken. We are grieving with the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were lost. We are holding close those who are injured, and we are standing by everyone who is hurting."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
"We stand with Florida State University. Today, we are all Seminoles," DeSantis said in a post on X.
President Donald Trump
"It's a horrible thing. Horrible that things like this take place. And we'll have more to say about it later," he said from the Oval Office alongside Vice President JD Vance and others.
Florida Rep. Jimmy Patronis
"Monitoring the situation at FSU as we work to learn more. Praying for our first responders responding to the scene and for those who are injured," he said in a post on X.
Florida Democratic Party - Nikki Fried
"Our hearts are heavy as we grieve with the victims and families of those who were killed and injured in a mass shooting on Florida State University's campus today. We are grateful to the rapid and effective response from first responders and law enforcement who responded quickly to the shooter and conducted a thorough sweep of the campus to secure the scene. Their professionalism and coordination saved lives."
"This is every student's worst nightmare, every parent's greatest fear and a day that educators hope will never come. To all of the students and teachers traumatized by the violence unleashed on them today, we are with you — and to the students who survived Parkland and currently attend FSU, we are so sorry you had to endure this terror again. Our elected officials have failed you."
The Source
The information and updates on the FSU shooting are from several sources: Florida State University, Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff's Office; local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies; FOX 35 reporters; and witness accounts.
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