Sun Apr 20 10:00:00 UTC 2025: **FSU Shooting Claims Life of Brother of Miami Exile’s Son, Renewing Family’s Tragedy**

TALLAHASSEE, FL – A shooting at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday claimed the life of Robert Morales, 57, a dining coordinator at the university, leaving his family reeling from a second tragedy linked to gun violence. The incident, which injured five others, comes over three decades after the brothers’ father, a Cuban-American exile and CIA informant known as “Monkey,” was murdered in Miami.

Robert Morales, a beloved high school football coach and FSU graduate, was one of two victims killed by 20-year-old suspect, Phoenix Ikner, on the university campus. His brother, Ricardo Morales, 61, expressed his devastation, stating, “It’s just eating me up inside that this is the way people in my family are going out. He was such a good person. He didn’t deserve that.”

The brothers’ lives were intertwined with their father’s tumultuous past. Ricardo Morales Sr., involved in anti-Castro activities and various law enforcement agencies, was murdered in a 1982 bar brawl. His death fractured the family, scattering them across the country. The brothers reconnected only seven years ago via Twitter, rebuilding a close relationship.

Robert, despite his father’s legacy, built a successful life in Tallahassee. He was described as a dedicated family man and cherished member of the Leon High School athletic community. Ricardo noted Robert’s recent health struggles, including kidney failure and a recent transplant failure, yet his brother remained committed to his job and his students.

The suspect, Ikner, is the stepson of a sheriff’s deputy and is reported to have held white supremacist views. While police have not yet established a motive, the incident has reignited Ricardo’s call for gun reform, stating, “We would love for the world to go in the direction of caring about people over money and business, because this is where this problem comes from, trying to make a buck.” The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

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