FSU shooting: Students mourn victims of deadly incident
Many students at Florida State University (FSU) are still trying to come to grips with Thursday’s deadly shooting on campus. Classes have been canceled until Monday, but some students are still on campus and just attended a vigil for the victims. FOX 35’s Marie Edinger shows us what happens next for the university and its students.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The suspect who opened fire last month at Florida State University, killing two and injuring six others, was released from a Tallahassee hospital on Monday following an extended stay and multiple surgeries to treat injuries he sustained during the April 17 incident.
Suspected gunman’s motive still unclear
What we know:
Authorities say 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner opened fire on the main campus of Florida State University around 11:50 a.m. on April 17.
Two people, both non-students, were killed, and six others sustained gunshot wounds.
Responding officers quickly engaged Ikner and shot him during the confrontation. He was subsequently hospitalized and underwent multiple surgeries before being released Monday.
Ikner now faces two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder. He has been transferred to a regional detention facility.
What we don’t know:
Key details remain unclear, including Ikner’s motive for the shooting. Authorities have not yet released the probable cause affidavit, which could shed more light on what led to the attack.
Who Phoenix Ikner?
The backstory:
Phoenix Ikner is the son of a deputy with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. In 2021, he was named to the Youth Advisory Council — a group formed the previous year to build dialogue between young residents and law enforcement in Leon County. His involvement in that initiative stands in stark contrast to the violence he is now accused of.
His background and family ties to law enforcement are expected to be scrutinized as the investigation continues.
Caught in the middle of a custody fight
According to court records, when Ikner was 11 – nine years before the FSU shooting – his biological mom reportedly took him to Norway, which was a violation of the custody agreement.
According to the complaint, the mom allegedly said she and Ikner were going to South Florida, but then fled to Norway, where she reportedly had dual citizenship.
Ikner’s dad sent texts and emails to the mom asking when she would return with their son, but reportedly would get vague replies, according to the complaint. A judge found that there was probable cause that the mom had violated the custody agreement.
In the complaint, Ikner’s dad reportedly expressed concern that their son suffered from “developmental delays” and “has special needs” that would not be taken care of unless he was in the U.S. It also alleged that Ikner suffers from ADHD.
Records show that a judge ordered the mom to return to the U.S. with Ikner and threatened to give the dad sole custody. That case ended with a plea agreement, records show.
Months later, Ikner’s mom filed a slander lawsuit against Ikner’s dad and wife. That lawsuit was dismissed, according to court records.
Ikner shot by police after refusing commands
Timeline:
The Tallahassee Police Department said Ikner was challenged – and shot – by police less than five minutes after he allegedly started firing a handgun at FSU.
He refused officers’ commands and was shot, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters. Tallahassee Police released a timeline of the shooting:
- 11 AM: Suspect, Phoenix Ikner, arrives at an FSU parking garage. He stays there for about an hour, moving in and out of his vehicle.
- 11:51 AM: He leaves the parking garage.
- 11:56 & 11:57 AM: First shot is fired. The suspect walks in and out of buildings and green spaces, firing a handgun.
- 11:58 AM: Multiple 911 calls report a man shooting on campus.
- 12 PM: Ikner is shot by law enforcement and taken into custody.
Who were 2 victims killed in the shooting?
Dig deeper:
Authorities identified the two victims who were killed in the shooting as Tiru Chabba, 45, of Greenville, South Carolina, and Robert Morales, 57, of Tallahassee.
Chabba was on the FSU campus working as an employee for a campus vendor at the time of the shooting. He is survived by his wife and two children. Morales, a food service employee, is survived by a wife and daughter.
What they’re saying:
Authorities have remained largely tight-lipped beyond formal statements, pending the release of additional legal documents.
“In any case, especially one of this magnitude, the Tallahassee Police Department has the highest commitment to justice, transparency and the safety of our community,” Chief of Police Lawrence Revell said in a news release on Monday. “We are grateful for the work of our detectives, officers, medical personnel and partner agencies who helped bring us to this point.”
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Tallhassee Police Department and previous reporting by FOX 35 News and Fox News Digital.
