A tragic shooting occurred at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee on Thursday, resulting in two deaths and six injuries. The gunman, identified as 20-year-old student Phoenix Ikner, is the son of a veteran police officer in Leon County. The shooting took place near the student union building around lunchtime, when the suspect opened fire using his mother’s former police-issued gun. Authorities reported that the identities of the deceased have not been disclosed, though campus police confirmed they were not students.
Ikner was shot by law enforcement during the incident and was taken to the hospital for treatment. The exact motive behind the attack remains unclear, but the situation unfolded rapidly, leading to an active shooter alert being issued on campus. Students and others on campus were instructed to seek shelter as authorities worked to neutralize the threat. The campus community was shaken, with many recounting their experiences of the terrifying moments as the shooting unfolded. Some students heard gunshots and initially mistook them for construction noises before realizing the gravity of the situation.
A shotgun was also found at the scene, raising further questions about the suspect’s access to firearms. Ikner’s mother, Jessica Ikner, a school resource officer, had retained the gun after her department upgraded its weapons. This connection to law enforcement and the suspect’s familiarity with firearms might explain how he gained access to the weapon. Sheriff Walt McNeil stated that Phoenix Ikner had been involved in various youth programs and had a history of participating in training within the sheriff’s office. Despite this, he was not part of the law enforcement profession, and the details surrounding how he came to carry out the attack remain under investigation.
Prior to the shooting, Ikner had been a member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council. He was also reported to have participated in demonstrations against former President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, which had raised some questions about his views, though these reports were not part of the official investigation into the shooting.
The incident prompted swift reactions from local and national leaders. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed his condolences to the FSU community and confirmed that state law enforcement agencies were actively involved in the response. President Donald Trump, who had been briefed on the shooting before meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy, offered his thoughts, calling it a “horrible thing” and reiterating his strong stance on the Second Amendment. While he expressed concern for the victims, he indicated that he would not be changing his position on gun rights.
The shooting at FSU is a grim reminder of the ongoing issue of gun violence in the United States. It is not the first time that the campus has been the site of such a tragedy. In 2015, a graduate of the university opened fire in the campus library, injuring three people before being fatally shot by police. The tragic pattern of gun violence affecting schools and universities across the country continues to spark debates about gun control and the accessibility of firearms.
Fred Guttenberg, a gun control advocate whose daughter was killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, expressed his disbelief that some survivors of the Parkland shooting were at FSU during the latest assault. His comments reflect the ongoing trauma experienced by victims of gun violence, as many of the survivors of past shootings are tragically forced to endure similar traumatic events.
As investigations continue, the FSU community and the wider public are left grappling with the aftermath of this devastating incident. The details of the attack are still emerging, but the emotional toll on those involved will likely last far beyond the immediate response. The tragic loss of life and the injuries inflicted on others have reignited discussions about the need for change in gun laws and the impact of firearms in the hands of those with troubled histories.
