FSU Student Identified as Shooter in Campus Attack That Leaves Two Dead and Six Wounded

FSU Student Identified as Shooter in Campus Attack That Leaves Two Dead and Six Wounded

On April 17, 2025, at around 11:50 a.m. EDT, a shooting occurred near the Student Union at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. The gunman, identified as 20-year-old FSU student Phoenix Ikner, opened fire, killing two individuals and injuring six others. The deceased victims were not students, though specific identities have not been released. Ikner, the son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy, used his mother’s former service handgun, which she retained as a personal firearm, and a shotgun was also found at the scene. Authorities believe Ikner acted alone, but the motive remains unclear.

FSU’s emergency alert system issued an active shooter warning at 12:01 p.m., urging students to shelter in place. Campus police, alongside Tallahassee Police, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies, responded swiftly, neutralizing the threat by 3:17 p.m. Ikner was shot by officers after failing to comply with commands, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, and was taken into custody. Six victims were treated at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, initially with one in critical condition and five in serious condition, but all were later reported in fair condition, expected to recover.

The university canceled classes and operations through April 18 and athletic events through April 19. Students were evacuated, some describing chaotic scenes of running from gunfire. Witnesses reported hearing 12–30 shots, and some students, including survivors of the 2018 Parkland shooting, experienced their second school shooting.