Two dead, five wounded in shooting on Florida State campus

By Steve Wilson
The Center Square

A shooting on Thursday on Florida State University's campus in Tallahassee left two dead and five wounded, local officials say.

Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil said at a news conference that 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of one of his deputies, was the alleged shooter and used one of his mother's service weapons in the shooting. Law enforcement shot Ikner and he is hospitalized.

"We understand that you all have been devastated because of this person's actions," McNeil said. 

Florida State President Richard McCullough said it was a tragic day for the university and that "we're absolutely heartbroken by the violence."

He said Deputy Jessica Ikner, an 18-year veteran of the sheriff's office, had provided the community with exceptional service, but that her son had access to one of her weapons, a handgun that was found at the scene. He also said investigators would probe how the weapon was used and how he got access to it. A shotgun was found at the student union building. 

The shooting began on Florida State's campus at the student union building about noon and the university said on social media about 3:30 p.m. Eastern time that the threat had been neutralized, but advised students to stay away from campus since it is an active crime scene.