Florida university shooting suspect is deputy sheriff’s son. Here’s what we know so far

At least two people were killed and five others injured after a gunman opened fire at Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus.

The shooter has been identified as a 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner. He is the son of a deputy working under Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil.

His mother has worked at the sheriff’s office for over 18 years.

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Police shot the suspect during the incident, and he was taken to hospital. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown. All five injured victims, along with the accused, were admitted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

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In this report, we look at who Phoenix Ikner is, the possible motive behind the attack, and the details of the shooting incident.

FSU shooting: Who is Phoenix Ikner?

The gunman has been identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a student at Florida State University.

According to Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, he is the son of Jessica Ikner, a veteran police officer who has been with the sheriff’s office for over 18 years and is considered a model employee.

Jessica Ikner, who works as a school resource officer, had retained a firearm after the department upgraded its standard-issue weapons.

The shooting began around midday near the student union building on FSU’s Tallahassee campus.

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McNeil said Ikner had been part of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council for years and had taken part in various training programmes. He called Ikner a “longstanding member” of the council.

Court records reviewed by CNN indicate that Phoenix had a difficult early life. When he was 10, a woman identified as his biological mother allegedly took him out of the United States in breach of a custody agreement.

Documents from Leon County courts show that the woman took him to Norway, despite legal restrictions. The child is referred to as Christian Eriksen in those records and is listed, along with his mother, as a dual citizen of the US and Norway.

An Instagram account carrying Ikner’s name and photo was deactivated after he was identified. The profile had featured a biblical passage: “You are my war club, my weapon for battle; with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms.”

phoenix Ikner. Son of a police officer decided to murder people today at FSU. pic.twitter.com/ThR7Qj103z

— 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑎 (@MeliMels99) April 17, 2025

Voter registration records in Florida show that Ikner is a registered Republican. CNN reported that he had been quoted in an FSU student newspaper earlier this year, commenting on protests against **Donald Trump** ahead of the inauguration.

“These people are usually pretty entertaining, usually not for good reasons,” Ikner, identified in the article as a political science student, was quoted as saying.

“I think it’s a little too late, he’s [Trump] already going to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 and there’s not really much you can do unless you outright revolt, and I don’t think anyone wants that.”

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Florida State University Shooting: What was the motive?

Investigators have not yet confirmed what led to the shooting, which took place around midday just outside the student union.

According to NBC News, Ikner was known for sharing white supremacist beliefs, which made many members of a political discussion group at Tallahassee State College uneasy.

The group’s president, Riley Pusins, told the publication that Ikner regularly supported Donald Trump’s ideas and often brought up white supremacist talking points, even though the club itself did not follow any political leaning and aimed to focus on open debate.

Pusins said several participants in the group had referred to Ikner as a fascist.

He said Ikner would often “go up to the line” during meetings and later cross them with remarks made afterwards.

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FSU mass shooting: What happened?

The shooting began around midday near the student union building at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

The university sent out an alert shortly after the incident began, warning of an active shooter near the student union. By midafternoon, officials confirmed that the threat had been contained.

Gunfire was reported at around 11:50 am local time, which led the students and parents to take shelter. Some hid inside a bowling alley, and others packed into a freight lift within the student union.

Emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks, quickly moved towards the scene.

As news of the shooting spread, hundreds of students moved away from the area. Many were seen checking their phones, some in tears. The university advised everyone on campus to find shelter and wait for more information.

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said officers reached the scene immediately and shot the suspect after he failed to respond to their instructions. He said there is no indication that the suspect fired at police and added that the individual refused to speak with officers after being taken into custody.

The area around the student union was sealed off with crime scene tape, and multiple police vehicles, including a forensic unit, remained on site.

Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower confirmed that the two people who lost their lives were not enrolled at the university. Six others, including the shooter, were receiving treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

With inputs from agencies