Fri Apr 18 00:27:00 UTC 2025: **Florida State University Shooting Leaves Two Dead, Several Injured**

TALLAHASSEE, FL – A gunman opened fire at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday, April 17, 2025, killing two people and wounding at least five others. The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy, was shot and apprehended by law enforcement.

The shooting occurred near the student union around 11:50 a.m. ET, prompting an immediate campus lockdown and active shooter alert. Students and faculty sought shelter, with some hiding in the student union’s bowling alley and freight elevator. Police responded swiftly, engaging the suspect and wounding him after he refused to comply with commands. The lockdown was lifted around 3 p.m. EDT.

The deceased were not FSU students, according to university police. Five injured individuals are receiving treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, with one reported to be in critical condition. Ikner is also receiving medical attention. The weapon used in the shooting was a former service weapon belonging to his mother, a long-serving sheriff’s deputy.

FSU cancelled all classes and events through Friday, and athletic events are postponed until Sunday. The Justice Department and FBI are involved in the investigation, and President Trump issued a statement expressing his condolences. FSU President Richard McCullough praised campus police for their rapid response, which he believes prevented further casualties.

The incident recalls a 2014 shooting at Strozier Library on the same campus. The university, founded in 1851, is located in Tallahassee and has approximately 44,300 students.

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