Daijiworld Media Network - Tallahassee

Tallahassee, Apr 18: An active shooter opened fire on the Florida State University (FSU) campus in Tallahassee on Thursday, resulting in two deaths and six injuries, law enforcement officials reported. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, an FSU student and son of a Leon County deputy sheriff, was taken into custody after being shot by police.

The shooting occurred around 11:50 am near the student union. Authorities confirmed the victims were not students, and their names have not been released. Both the injured and the shooter were transported to a local hospital. Investigators found that Ikner had used his mother’s former service weapon, now owned as a personal handgun, along with a shotgun.

Sheriff Walter McNeil expressed grief over the incident, noting that Ikner had been involved in various training programmes with the Leon County Sheriff's Office and had access to his mother's weapons.

The campus was secured by 3:15 pm, though law enforcement agencies remained on-site for the ongoing investigation. FSU issued alerts advising students to seek shelter and avoid buildings still considered active crime scenes, including the student union.

Governor Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump expressed condolences, with Trump briefly commenting on the tragic nature of the event. The FBI and ATF also arrived to assist with the investigation.

Classes and events at FSU were cancelled through Friday, and sports events were called off until Sunday. The shooting marks another in a series of violent incidents on US campuses, as mass shootings continue to rise across the nation.