(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — The Florida State University community is reeling and police are searching for a motive after a gunman opened fire on the Tallahassee campus on Thursday, killing two and injuring six.
Tallahassee police have laid out how the shooting unfolded.
The suspect, 20-year-old FSU student Phoenix Ikner, arrived at a campus parking garage at about 11 a.m. and stayed in the area for around an hour, moving in and out of his car, police said.
Ikner left the garage at 11:51 a.m., police said, and then between 11:56 and 11:57 a.m. he started firing a handgun, police said. The shooting was reported to 911 by 11:58 a.m., police said.
At noon, Ikner was shot by officers and taken into custody, police said. He’s expected to survive and remains hospitalized as of Saturday morning.
“When I heard what had happened, I was frantic — thought he might be the one hurt. And then when I found out it was him I just collapsed at work,” Ikner’s biological mother, Anne-Mari Eriksen, told ABC News on Friday in her first comments since the shooting. “There’s so much that needs to be said about this, but I just can’t talk without crying. We need time to process all this.”
One slain victim was identified as Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old husband and father of two who was an employee of a campus vendor.
“Chabba’s family is going through the unimaginable now,” their family attorney Bakari Sellers said in a statement. “Instead of hiding Easter eggs and visiting with friends and family, they’re living a nightmare.”
The other victim was identified as Robert Morales.
Morales was formerly an assistant football coach at Leon High School, where he demonstrated “dedication, integrity, and a true passion for mentoring young athletes,” Leon High Athletics said in a statement.
“His commitment to the game and to shaping the lives of his players extended far beyond the field,” the statement said. “His legacy of leadership, compassion, and service will forever remain a part of the Leon Lions tradition.”
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare officials said the hospital received six patients, all in stable condition.
All six are expected to make full recoveries and two of them may be released on Friday, officials said.
Officials revealed that the suspect’s stepmother, Jessica Ikner, is a current deputy with the local Leon County Sheriff’s Office. While authorities identified Jessica Ikner as the suspect’s mother, court documents indicate she is his stepmother.
Phoenix Ikner had access to one of his stepmother’s personal guns, which was one of the weapons found at the scene, Sheriff Walter McNeil said. He is still in the hospital and will not be charged or arraigned until he is discharged, police said. He’s also invoked his right to remain silent.
Jessica Ikner — who was on duty as a school resource officer at a middle school at the time of the shooting — has taken an indefinite personal leave of absence, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said it’s launched an internal investigation, but so far has not found any signs that the veteran deputy violated any policies.
In a statement to the Florida State University community, President Richard McCullough called the shooting a “tragic and senseless act of violence.”
FSU canceled classes and sporting events through the weekend, but said classes and business operations will resume Monday.
“Our hearts are heavy after the tragedy that took place April 17,” McCullough said in a statement Saturday. “We are grieving with the families and friends who lost someone they love. And we are with all those who were injured and are now recovering. This has shaken all of us, and I want you to know: We are here for you.”
The university said it was offering mental health support services and other counseling services for students and employees.
President Donald Trump said Thursday he has an “obligation to protect” the Second Amendment when asked by a reporter in the Oval Office if he sees anything “broken” with America’s current gun laws.
“Look, I’m a big advocate of the Second Amendment. I have been from the beginning. I protected it, and these things are terrible, but the gun doesn’t do the shooting. The people do. It’s a phrase that’s used probably too often,” Trump said.
“I will tell you that it’s a shame,” he said of the shooting.
ABC News’ Alex Faul, Faith Abubey and Fritz Farrow contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
