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FSU Shooting: Two Dead, Multiple Injured; Suspect Identified as Deputy Sheriff’s Son
Two individuals were killed and at least five others injured in a shooting incident at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday. The suspected gunman, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a current FSU student and the son of a Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy, has been taken into custody.
Authorities confirmed that the weapon used in the attack was a former service firearm belonging to Ikner’s mother, a veteran officer with over 18 years of service in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Walt McNeil stated that the deputy had retained the pistol after a department-wide firearm upgrade. The weapon was recovered at the scene, located on FSU’s Tallahassee campus.
Sheriff McNeil described the incident as deeply tragic, particularly in light of the suspect’s background. Ikner was reportedly a “longstanding member” of the sheriff’s youth advisory council and had participated in several law enforcement training programs. Despite this, he gained access to his mother’s firearm and brought it to campus.
In addition to the pistol, Ikner was found in possession of a shotgun. While it remains unclear whether the shotgun was used during the shooting, several eyewitnesses reported that the suspect initially carried a rifle-style weapon before switching to a handgun, according to the New York Times.
“This event is tragic in more ways than you can imagine—from both a public safety and personal standpoint,” said Sheriff McNeil during a press briefing.
The FSU shooting adds to a troubling history of gun violence on U.S. college campuses. Notable incidents include the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, where 32 people were killed and 23 injured. More recently, 2023 saw mass shootings at Michigan State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the FSU shooting and are working to determine the suspect’s motives and whether additional charges will be filed.
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