FSU shooter Phoenix Ikner had access to officer mother's gun, was involved in training programs
According to FSU Police Chief Jason Trumbower, the deceased were not university students, though the suspect is believed to be enrolled at FSU.
Florida State University shooter Phoenix Ikner used a gun registered to his mother, who works for the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Walter McNeil said during a Thursday briefing.
Officials added that Ikner is currently not cooperating with police.
“Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene,” McNeil said.
“We are continuing that investigation into how that weapon was used and what other weapons, perhaps, he may have had access to.”
The sheriff said Phoenix Ikner has been “steeped in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office family” and was involved with training programs.
“So it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons,” he said.
The shooting that took place on the campus left two people dead and five others injured. According to FSU Police Chief Jason Trumbower, the deceased were not university students, though the suspect is believed to be enrolled at FSU.
Follow FSU shooting live updates
Five victims are being treated at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, while the shooter is also under medical care.
Amid the chaos, students and concerned parents took shelter in a bowling alley and squeezed into a freight elevator inside the student union after hearing gunfire nearby.
Students and frightened parents hid in a bowling alley and crammed into a freight elevator inside the student union after hearing gunshots outside the building.
Ambulances, fire trucks and patrol vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies raced toward the campus just west of Florida's capital after the university issued an active shooter alert midday Thursday, saying police were responding near the student union.
What President Trump said
President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, said he had been fully briefed on the shooting. “It’s a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place,” he said.
Following alerts about an active shooter, students and faculty across the Florida State University campus sheltered in place inside classrooms, offices, and dormitories.
Roughly three hours after the incident, Florida State’s emergency alert system confirmed that “law enforcement had neutralised the threat.” Officials urged students and staff to steer clear of the student union and other areas still under investigation.
Outside the student union, numerous patrol vehicles, including a forensics van, were stationed, and officers cordoned off the site with crime scene tape.
In the rush to evacuate, many students and staff left behind belongings like phones and keys. Some waited nearby in the shade, offering prayers for the victims.
Florida State University, part of the state’s network of 12 public universities, is based in Tallahassee and has around 44,000 students enrolled, according to its 2024 fact sheet.
The campus has faced gun violence before—back in 2014, a shooting at the main library injured three people. Police killed the gunman, identified as 31-year-old Myron May.
In response to Thursday’s shooting, the university cancelled all classes and events for the day and suspended all home athletic events through Sunday.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
