On Thursday, April 17th, a shooting occurred at Florida State University, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to six others.
Authorities have identified Phoenix Ikner, a student at FSU, as the suspected shooter. Reports indicate that he is currently in police custody.
Ikner, 20, is reportedly the son of a police officer and allegedly used a firearm belonging to his mother during the incident.
Details about Ikner’s background have emerged.
He is believed to be an FSU student and, according to information from the Tallahassee Police Department, gained access to one of his mother’s firearms, which was discovered at the crime scene.
The police department highlighted that the suspect had been a long-time participant in the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council.
“He has been deeply involved with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, participating in various training programs,” a department spokesperson stated. “Given this background, it was not surprising that he had access to weapons.”
The department described the event as ‘tragic’ in numerous ways, stating: “We are committed to ensuring that justice is served and sending a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated in Leon County, nor across the state or nation.”
CNN reported that an Instagram account bearing Ikner’s name and photo contained a quote: “You are my war club, my weapon for battle; with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms.”
Ikner is registered as a Republican, according to available records.
His mother, Jessica Ikner, serves as a Sheriff Deputy.
In a press conference, the Tallahassee Police Department commented: “Deputy Ikner has served with the lieutenant sheriff’s office for over 18 years and has been outstanding in her service to the community.
“Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her firearms, which was among the weapons discovered at the scene. Our investigation continues into how this weapon was utilized and whether he had access to others.”
According to CNN, court records from Leon County revealed that Ikner’s biological mother had previously been jailed for 200 days when he was 10, after taking him to Norway against a custody agreement. She had claimed they were going to South Florida for spring break.
It remains unclear whether she has had contact with Ikner since, but reports indicate she reached out on Facebook expressing concern about her son’s well-being at FSU, after unsuccessful attempts to contact his father.
FSU student Reid Seybold informed CNN that Ikner had been asked to leave a political club on campus a few years prior due to unsettling remarks.
“He consistently made others uncomfortable, leading to some members leaving. Eventually, we reached a point where we asked him to depart,” Seybold explained.
“It’s been some time, so I don’t recall exact statements, but he often criticized multiculturalism and communism, claiming they were detrimental to America.”
Ryan Cedergren, a 21-year-old communications student, recounted to AP News how he and about 30 other students sought refuge in the university’s bowling alley during the shooting, describing the experience as a desperate moment of ‘survival’.
Another student, Chris Pento, described the incident to WCTV as “surreal.”
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