News Summary
A shooting at Florida State University has resulted in two fatalities and six injuries. Suspect Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old student, has been arrested and faces several charges. Details emerged about Ikner’s troubling background and extremist beliefs, raising concerns within the campus community. Authorities are investigating potential motives and the situation’s implications, particularly regarding access to firearms and mental health issues.
Florida
Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old student at Florida State University, has been accused of a shooting that left two people dead and six others injured on campus. Following the incident, which took place earlier this week, Ikner was apprehended by university police after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. He was found in possession of a handgun previously owned by his mother, a sheriff’s deputy.
Authorities are currently investigating the shooting, but have not disclosed any potential motive. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell has indicated that there is no known connection between Ikner and the shooting victims. However, troubling details have emerged regarding Ikner’s background and extreme political beliefs that have raised concerns among his peers.
Classmates have reported that Ikner often expressed discomforting ideologies, criticizing Civil Rights leader Rosa Parks and showing support for Nazi symbols. This pattern of behavior has caused alarm within the campus community, with reports of Ikner generating unease in political clubs to the point that he was asked to leave those groups. Five students from Tallahassee State College reported experiencing discomfort due to his rhetoric during class discussions.
As the investigation unfolds, police have recovered additional firearms from Ikner’s vehicle, including an AR-15 style rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, and a shotgun, suggesting he may have been prepared for further violence. Ikner himself had reportedly been off of medication prescribed to him for emotional dysregulation prior to the shooting.
Ikner is the son of a local sheriff’s deputy, with ties to law enforcement that included training and participation on a sheriff’s advisory council. His connections to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office have been noted by Sheriff Walter McNeil, who expressed concern over Ikner’s access to weapons due to his upbringing within the department. Following the incident, Jessica Ikner, Phoenix’s mother, has taken personal leave from her duties and has been reassigned within the sheriff’s department.
Prior to transferring to Florida State University, Ikner completed an associate’s degree at Tallahassee State College. He had made comments in the university’s student newspaper regarding anti-Trump protests, identifying himself as a registered Republican. Investigators are also looking into possible links between the shooting and a protest event scheduled at the university.
Ikner’s upbringing was marked by legal disputes involving his parents, which were fraught with allegations of misconduct. His biological mother reportedly has not seen him since 2015 but expressed concern for his wellbeing through social media following the shooting incident. Throughout his life, Ikner’s tumultuous childhood has been highlighted in various reports, with a judge previously describing him as intelligent and well-spoken during a name change hearing.
Due to potential conflicts of interest, the Leon County sheriff’s department is unable to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting. As authorities examine the case further, Ikner faces several charges, including first-degree murder once he fully recovers from his injuries incurred during the confrontation with university police. The ramifications of this tragic event continue to resonate throughout the Florida State University community and beyond as discussions around mental health and extremist ideologies persist.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- ABC News
- CNN
- Tallahassee.com
- Sun Sentinel
- CBS News
- Wikipedia: Florida State University
- Google Search: Florida State University shooting
- Google Scholar: Florida State University shooting
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Florida State University
- Google News: Florida State University shooting
