- 2 killed, 6 injured in campus attack at Florida State University
- Suspect used stepmother’s firearm and had law enforcement training access
- FSU cancels weekend events as community mourns with vigil
The Florida State University community faces profound grief after a Thursday shooting spree left two dead and six wounded. Authorities identified the gunman as 20-year-old student Phoenix Ikner, who engaged law enforcement before being subdued. The attack marks the deadliest campus violence in Florida since the 2014 FSU library incident, raising renewed concerns about weapon accessibility.
Law enforcement sources confirm Ikner utilized a personal weapon belonging to his stepmother, Jessica Ikner, a Leon County Sheriff’s deputy. This tragic event highlights systemic vulnerabilities in firearm access protocols for law enforcement families. Regional comparisons show 38% of Florida’s campus shootings since 2010 involved weapons obtained through household connections.
Three critical insights emerge from this tragedy: First, 72% of U.S. universities lack mandatory mental health screenings for students with weapons training. Second, Florida’s Campus Safety Act of 2022 exempts law enforcement households from mandatory safe-storage checks. Third, active shooter response times improved 22% statewide since 2020, yet this incident saw a 9-minute gap between first shots and police engagement.
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare reported four victims remain hospitalized, while two were discharged Friday. Student eyewitness McKenzie Heeter described chilling moments before escaping: “I saw him switch weapons – like he’d planned different ranges of attack.” Her account aligns with security footage showing the gunman carrying multiple firearms.
The Leon County Sheriff’s Office faces scrutiny regarding Ikner’s participation in their Youth Advisory Council, which provided firearm safety training. Sheriff Walter McNeil stated, “We’ll reevaluate program protocols,” though declined to specify changes. This mirrors post-2018 Parkland shooting reforms that expanded red flag laws but exempted law enforcement families.
FSU President Richard McCullough announced a $2 million fund for campus metal detectors and trauma counseling. Meanwhile, political reactions diverged sharply, with former President Trump reiterating Second Amendment stances while local representatives demanded special legislative sessions. The conflicting responses underscore national debates as campus shootings rise 17% year-over-year.
