Tragic Shooting at Florida State University Claims Two Lives

Washington, April 18 (NationPress) Two individuals lost their lives and six others sustained injuries when an active shooter unleashed gunfire on the Florida State University (FSU) campus in Tallahassee on Thursday, according to law enforcement officials at a press conference.

The injured parties, along with the suspected shooter, were transported to a local hospital.

The suspect was apprehended after being shot by the police, who stated that he invoked his right to remain silent.

The alleged shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, an FSU student and the son of a Leon County deputy sheriff, as disclosed by Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil during the briefing.

Investigators revealed that the suspect utilized his mother's former service weapon, which she now possesses as a personal firearm, discovered at the crime scene. They also noted that he was armed with a shotgun.

The deputy sheriff has served the agency for over 18 years, earning praise for her outstanding service to the community, as highlighted by the sheriff.

"Regrettably, her son had access to one of her firearms," Sheriff McNeil remarked.

Additionally, the sheriff mentioned that the alleged shooter was a long-term member of the Leon County Sheriff's Office citizen advisory or youth advisory council, actively participating in various training programs.

He had been closely associated with the Leon County Sheriff's Office family, according to the sheriff.

Authorities confirmed that the two deceased individuals were not students, and their identities have not been disclosed.

At approximately 3:15 p.m. ET, Tallahassee police reported that the campus had been secured, although multiple law enforcement entities remained on-site for the ongoing investigation.

"Law enforcement has neutralized the threat," FSU tweeted.

The university advised students to avoid the student union and several other campus buildings, as they were still regarded as an active crime scene.

Police responded to an active shooter alert from the vicinity of the student union around 12:01 p.m., FSU stated.

Subsequently, it was revealed that the shooter commenced firing around 11:50 a.m.

The school issued an alert urging those on campus to "seek shelter and await further instructions."

The university further advised students to secure all doors and windows.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed his support, tweeting, "Our prayers are with our FSU family."

The FBI and ATF confirmed that agents were present to assist local law enforcement.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident, and Trump made brief comments about it on Thursday afternoon.

"It's a tragedy. It's a horrible situation. Horrible things happen. We will address it further later," Trump remarked.

When questioned about reviewing gun laws in response to the shooting, the President replied, "Well, I will need to consider. I support the Second Amendment... These occurrences are dreadful, but the gun isn't the problem; people are."

The university announced the cancellation of classes and all events through Friday, with sports events suspended until Sunday.

This incident marks not the first shooting on campus; in 2014, three individuals were shot in the university's library before the assailant, a former student, was shot by police.

As of 2025, there have been 80 mass shootings in the US, including the latest event at Florida State University, according to the Gun Violence Archive. In total, 502 incidents occurred in 2024, averaging nearly 10 incidents per week.

The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more individuals are shot or killed, excluding the shooter.