A shooting at Florida State University (FSU) has left the campus community shaken. The incident occurred around midday when police received reports of an active shooter. Students were quickly alerted to seek shelter as chaos unfolded.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Phoenix Ikner, who has connections to the university and law enforcement. He is the son of Jessica Ikner, a school resource officer, and is also the stepson of a veteran police officer. Sheriff Walt McNeil noted that Ikner had access to weapons, which is not surprising given his involvement with the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council and various training programs.
Witnesses described a frightening scene. One student, Ava Arenado, reported that a classmate received an alert on her phone, prompting them to take cover. Another student, Blake Leonard, initially mistook the sounds of gunfire for construction noise until he saw people running and heard more shots.
A shotgun was recovered at the scene, raising concerns about how the suspect obtained it. Sheriff McNeil mentioned that the weapon belonged to Jessica Ikner, who had kept it after the police department updated its firearms.
The incident has drawn attention from state and national leaders. President Donald Trump, who was briefed on the situation, expressed his support for the Second Amendment and called the shooting a "horrible thing." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis offered prayers for the FSU community and stated that state law enforcement was actively responding to the situation.
This is not the first time FSU has faced gun violence. In 2015, a shooting at the university’s library left three people injured. The recent event has reopened wounds for some, including Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting. He noted that some survivors of that tragedy were present on campus during the recent shooting.
As the investigation continues, the FSU community is left to grapple with the aftermath of this terrifying event.