A 20-year-old young man, son of a sheriff, opened fire this Thursday at Florida State University (FSU), using the service weapon that belonged to his mother, killing two people and leaving at least six injured, authorities reported.
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The Chief of Police of Tallahassee, Lawrence Revell, stated that the officers quickly responded to the incident and managed to injure the attacker after he refused to obey orders.
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So far, the motive for the attack has not been revealed, which began around noon on the outskirts of the student center. The shooting caused scenes of panic, with students and parents seeking refuge in a bowling alley and a freight elevator inside the building.
The suspect was identified as Phoenix Ikner, who authorities believe was a student at the same university.
According to Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, Ikner gained access to a gun that previously belonged to his mother, who has been working in that office for over 18 years. Police believe it was with that service pistol that the young man shot the victims.
The University Police Chief, Jason Trumbower, confirmed that the two deceased individuals were not students of the university, although he did not provide further details about their identities.
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital reported that it is treating six people injured in the shooting, one of them in critical condition.
Ambulances, fire trucks, and patrols from various law enforcement agencies quickly arrived at the campus, located west of the capital of Florida, after the university issued an active shooter alert.
Moments of terror and chaos on campus
Ryan Cedergren, a 21-year-old communications student, recounted that he and about 30 people hid in the bowling alley located on the lower level of the student center after seeing students running from a nearby bar. “At that moment, it was a matter of survival,” he said.
Chris Pento, who was visiting the campus with his twin children, recounted that they were having lunch at the student center when they heard the gunshots. “It was surreal. People just started running,” he told WCTV. They tried to escape through a hallway, but the doors were locked, so they took refuge in a service elevator. “That was probably the most terrifying moment because we didn’t know what could happen,” he said. “When the doors opened, there were two officers with guns drawn.”
Hours after the attack, dozens of official vehicles, including forensic trucks, remained parked in front of the student center, which was cordoned off with crime scene tape. Students and employees waited in the shade to retrieve their belongings, including phones and keys, while praying for the victims.
National reaction and background
President Donald Trump, from the Oval Office, stated that he had been fully briefed on the incident. “It’s something horrible. It’s terrible that things like this happen,” he said.
After the alert, students and professors took refuge in classrooms, offices, and campus residences. “The first thing you think is, ‘This can’t be happening,’” said Kai McGalla, a second-year student who was locked in an exam center on campus.
Joshua Sirmans, a 20-year-old third-year student, was in the main library when the alarms went off. Agents escorted him and other students with their hands up, as he recounted.
Florida State University is one of the 12 public universities in the state, with its main campus located in Tallahassee and an enrollment of approximately 44,000 students, according to 2024 data.
It is worth remembering that in 2014, the main library on campus was also the scene of a shooting in which three people were injured. In that case, the officers shot and killed the attacker, Myron May, 31 years old.
After today’s events, the university has canceled all classes and activities for Thursday, as well as suspended all scheduled sports events until Sunday.