A tragic shooting rocked Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday when a 20-year-old suspect, later identified as Phoenix Ikner, fatally shot two people and injured six others before being subdued by police. Authorities confirmed the gunman is the son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy and used his mother’s legally purchased handgun during the attack.
🚨 What We Know So Far
The shooting began near FSU’s student union around 11:50 a.m., prompting campus-wide lockdowns as terrified students and faculty sheltered. Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with one parent recounting how his daughter was "trampled" in the panic. Police shot and hospitalized the suspect after he ignored orders to surrender. A shotgun was also found at the scene, though its role remains unclear.
🔍 Motive Under Investigation
Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil confirmed the gunman acted alone, though the motive remains unknown. The two victims killed were not students, per FSU police chief Jason Trumbower. The incident marks FSU’s second mass shooting in 11 years, reigniting debates about campus safety in the U.S. 🇺🇸
📢 Voices from the Scene
Student Max Jenkins described hearing "four or five shots" near the union building, while another witness spotted bullet-riddled golf carts. The tragedy adds to a grim timeline of U.S. campus shootings, including the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre and 2023 attacks at Michigan State and UNLV.
