Who Is FSU Shooting Suspect Phoenix Ikner? What We Know

Law enforcement officials have identified 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner as the suspect in a shooting at Florida State University on Thursday that left two people dead.

The Context

“An active shooter has been reported in the area of Student Union,” FSU said in a 12:01 p.m. ET alert to people on campus. “Police are on scene or on the way. Continue to seek shelter and await further instructions. Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measures.”

“Continue to shelter in place,” the university said in a subsequent alert. “Police have responded to an active shooter call at the Student Union.”

As of 1:45 p.m., Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said it was treating six patients, one of whom is in critical condition. The rest are “in serious condition,” TMH said.

At 3:18 p.m., FSU said law enforcement officials had “neutralized the threat” but asked people to avoid the Student Union and several other buildings, “as they are still considered an active crime scene.”

What To Know

Ikner is the son of a Leon County deputy, officials said at a news conference on Thursday. He is currently in the hospital.

“Our deputy, Deputy Ikner, has been with the Leon County sheriff’s office for over 18 years…her service to this community has been exceptional,” Sheriff Walter A. McNeil said on Thursday. “Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene.”

Officials are investigating how the weapon was used and what other weapons the suspect may have had access to, McNeil said.

The Leon County Medical Examiner’s office earlier declined to say whether any deaths had been reported as of Thursday afternoon, telling the Associated Press that the investigation was still ongoing.

Forrest Saunders, a Florida reporter for E.W. Scripps, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the outlet’s office isn’t far from FSU’s campus and that he saw several law enforcement vehicles heading in the school’s direction after FSU sent out its first alert about an active shooter on campus.

Kai McGalla, an FSU sophomore, told the AP she was taking a test on Excel spreadsheets when she started to hear sirens heading toward the student union, about a 20-minute walk away.

The test proctor told them they were being locked down at the center because of the shooting, according to the AP.

“I’m in shock, you know, it’s so hard to believe,” McGalla told the AP while she was still in lockdown at the testing center. “The first thing you think of is just, ‘This can’t be true,’ right?”

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump reacted to the shooting during an Oval Office meeting on Thursday: “It’s a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place.”

Trump added that he had been “fully briefed” on the situation and would have more to say later.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, on X: “Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding.”

McKenzie Heeter, a junior at FSU, described seeing the gunman on campus to NBC News: “I was leaving the [Student Union] with my food. There’s a road next to it and I was walking and this guy pulls up in an orange Hummer, and he gets out with a rifle and shoots in my direction. There were a couple other kids near me.”

Heeter added: “I think he was shooting and he missed. So he goes back into his car and grabs a pistol, then he turns and shoots the lady in front of him. That’s when I just started running.”

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this article.