The suspect accused of killing two people and wounding six others in a shooting at Florida State University had no prior relationship with any of the victims, authorities revealed Friday. Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old FSU student, opened fire near the student union building in Tallahassee on Thursday afternoon in an attack that lasted less than five minutes before police shot and critically wounded him.
The firearm used in the shooting was legally registered to Ikner’s stepmother, Jessica Ikner, a veteran police officer, according to investigators. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell confirmed the apparent random nature of the violence, stating, “At this point, there does not appear to be any connection at all between the shooter and any of the victims.”
The attack claimed the lives of two university dining workers: Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old married father of two visiting from South Carolina, and Robert Morales, a longtime FSU dining coordinator. Six wounded victims were hospitalized in stable condition, with doctors expecting all to recover fully.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as gunfire erupted near lunchtime. “I heard another 12 or 15 shots go off, so I started running away,” recalled student Blake Leonard. Police responded within minutes, shooting Ikner when he failed to comply with commands. The wounded suspect remains hospitalized with serious injuries and will face murder charges upon recovery.
The motive for the attack remains undetermined as investigations continue.
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