Two dead and five injured after Florida State University shooting

A view of the Moore Athletic Center on the campus of Florida State University in August 2021 in Tallahassee, Florida. Photo: Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

Two people are dead and five injured after a shooting at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida, on Thursday, law enforcement said.

Driving the news: The shooting suspect was identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of a local sheriff deputy.

The two people who died were not students.

Zoom in: Ikner had access to one of his mother’s weapons, which was found at the scene, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said during a news conference.

She is a Leon County sheriff’s deputy, and her son was involved in the sheriff’s office youth advisory council. He was transported to a hospital.

State of play: The university canceled all classes and business operations through Friday and all athletics events throughout the weekend.

Students were told they could return to their dorms but otherwise should stay indoors to allow first responders and university staff to respond to anyone needing assistance.
The Donald L. Tucker Civic Center is serving as a student reunification point. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including Tallahassee Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, responded.
An FSU alert system notified the campus of an active shooter at about noon ET and told people to shelter in place.

What they’re saying: “Our hearts go out to our students and the victims of this terrible tragedy,” Richard McCullough, FSU president, said during a news conference.

“Even as we process today’s events, we firmly resolve that no student should ever have to experience fear like this on their campus,” an FSU College Democrats statement said. “This is not normal; this is not acceptable.”

Zoom out: The last day of FSU’s spring semester is May 2, per the university calendar.