Tallahassee authorities said two people were killed and six others injured Thursday after the son of a local sheriff’s deputy opened fire at Florida State University.
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said officers shot suspect Phoenix Ikner, 20, during his rampage after he refused to drop his weapon.
Mr. Ikner is currently being treated at the hospital, as are five others whom police said he had wounded on campus around noon.
Officials said the two victims shot dead by the suspect were not students. None of the victims’ identities have been shared by authorities.
“This event is tragic in more ways than you people in the audience could ever fathom from a law enforcement perspective,” Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said.
“But I will tell you this, we will make sure that we do everything we can to prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will never be tolerated here in Leon County, and I dare say, across this state and across this nation,” he said at a Thursday afternoon news conference.
Chief Revell said Mr. Ikner invoked his right not to speak to police.
The chief also said the suspect carried out the attack with an old police service pistol bought by his mother, who is a deputy with the local sheriff’s office.
Chief Revell said officers and deputies have the option to purchase the weapon they used to holster on duty when they get a new gun.
“Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene,” Sheriff McNeil said. “We are continuing that investigation into how that weapon was used and what other weapons perhaps he may have had access to.”
Police said Mr. Ikner had a shotgun, but didn’t say whether he used it during the shooting.
Sheriff McNeil added that Mr. Ikner was a member of the Youth Advisory Council for the sheriff’s office. Officials said nothing about a possible motive.
FSU locked down its campus after the university said a shooting erupted near the school’s Student Union.
Photos shared by witnesses showed students using desks to create makeshift blockades in classrooms. Videos posted online also showed students sprinting off campus as gunshots ring out in the background.
A campus alert instructed students to seek shelter and stay away from doors and windows as police rushed to the scene. By 3 p.m., Tallahassee police said FSU had been secured.
“Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding,” Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on X.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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