An active shooter situation occurred at Florida State University about an hour ago. The school announced it on X:
An active shooter has been reported in the area of Student Union. Police are on scene or on the way. Continue to seek shelter and await further instructions. Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measur https://t.co/cBrbt0cLe6
— FSU Alert (@FSUAlert) April 17, 2025
This is a Emergency Message for Florida State University Tallahassee Campus.
— FSU Alert (@FSUAlert) April 17, 2025
Continue to shelter in place. Police have responded to an active shooter call at the Student Union. Stay alert for more information.
Persons in need of immediate emergency ass https://t.co/VWifBqyLwW
At least four people were injured and a suspect is now in custody.
A suspect is in custody following a reported shooting at Florida State University on Thursday, according to two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the situation.
At least four people have been injured, CNN affiliate WCTV reported, citing hospital officials. A first responder on the scene gave CNN a similar account.
Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare is “actively receiving and caring for patients” from the shooting, a spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. “At this time, details are still unfolding, and we do not yet have specific information to share.”
There are a bunch of video clips already circulating, some of them graphic. This may be the shooter firing randomly at fleeing people.
Tallahassee FSU shooting 😭😱 pic.twitter.com/kf1BjWmEEc
— @PalasAtenea🍊 (@AthenaMia2nd) April 17, 2025
Police carrying someone across campus.
🚨 #BREAKING: ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 17, 2025
Shots have rung out near the Student Union, and gunshot victims can be seen carried out by paramedics and police
Victims being transported right now
This is still developing. Pray for the victims. pic.twitter.com/Kl09u7aAgv
Another video shows what might be the same person. People looking down on the scene are suggesting this is a victim.
Florida State University issued an emergency alert on Thursday after reports of an active shooter near the Student Union. The university's alert system advised students and staff to "continue to seek shelter and await further instructions."
— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) April 17, 2025
Details: https://t.co/6Ra2ufTRWd pic.twitter.com/AXJM4qd7QE
Another victim being looked at by police.
Florida State University issued an alert for an active shooter near the Student Union. The university urged students to shelter in place, lock doors, stay away from windows, and await further instructions.
— Pegida Canada (@PegidaCanada) April 17, 2025
This victim was shot in the back pic.twitter.com/mP8HYQH47n
This clip seems to be the shooter in an ambulance because police are shackling him even though he doesn't seem to be moving.
I have seen multiple injured being loaded into ambulances outside the Student Union. One man was shackled by law enforcement before being taken from the scene. pic.twitter.com/OfzKCxuB1J
— Forrest Saunders (@FBSaunders) April 17, 2025
There's also a video of students huddling in a classroom while someone outside is asking them to open the door.
WATCH: Footage shows the inside of a Florida State University classroom during the active shooter situation.
— Daily Weather (@weatherdaily365) April 17, 2025
Voices can be heard pleading to be let in.
Reports indicate this may involve a team of active shooters, with at least one individual already detained. pic.twitter.com/Je2JMj9mZP
Students were evacuated from the campus with their hands up.
STUDENTS EVACUATE FSU | Video shows students leaving a building at Florida State University after reports of a shooter on campus.
— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) April 17, 2025
Developing now: https://t.co/fpv1wfXG1i pic.twitter.com/w8UgFODE2p
I am a current student at Florida State University. This is the video I took while being escorted out by police. I was in class when the shooting started, in the building next to where the sh**ters were. pic.twitter.com/TfuRbp2301
— Holden (@ignqiny) April 17, 2025
The FBI is on the scene.
The @FBI is on the scene at Florida State and we are in communication with agents on the ground. Our priority is the safety of everyone involved. We will keep updating as we learn more. Praying for all.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) April 17, 2025
President Trump mentioned he'd been briefed and said he'd have more to say on it later.
“I have been briefed on the Florida State University active shooter. It’s a shame.” - President @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/c7kak3BPms
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) April 17, 2025
That's all at the moment, but I'll update this later once we've had a briefing from police and know a bit more about what happened.
Update: NBC News is reporting that two people were killed in the shooting today but neither of them were students. Five others are in the hospital and the shooter is also alive and at the hospital.
Police just held a press conference where they identified the shooter as Phoenix Ikner. He is the son of a deputy in the department and apparently used one of his mother's weapons in the attack.
🚨 #BREAKING: Police announce the shooter at Florida State University is the son of a Leon County Sheriff's Deputy
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 17, 2025
He's been identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, and used one of his mother's weapons to commit the mass shooting at FSU.
HOLY CRAP. pic.twitter.com/mlkrQAQlvg
Ikner was quoted in an FSUNews story in January reacting to a small gathering of Tallahassee SDS protesters.
Once the protesters reached the Integration Statue, Florida State University Police Department (FSUPD) officers stood on guard and groups of onlookers began to form.
“These people are usually pretty entertaining, usually not for good reasons,” Phoenix Ikner, a political science major, said. “I think it’s a little too late, he’s [Trump] already going to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 and there’s not really much you can do unless you outright revolt, and I don’t think anyone wants that.”
It's not clear (to me anyway) where he's coming from. He doesn't seem to identify with the SDS protesters but he also doesn't explicitly embrace Trump. Hopefully we'll get more about his motive over time.
A small correction but the weapon used in the attack was a previous service weapon which the mother had purchased when the police began using a different handgun. So it was a previous service weapon but at the time of the attack it was her privately owned firearm. That's according to the press conference. You can watch the whole thing here:
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