FSU shooting suspect charged

The 20-year-old accused of opening fire in a deadly shooting rampage last month on the Florida State University campus was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder on Monday, according to Tallahassee police.

Phoenix Ikner was released from a hospital where he had multiple surgeries to treat injuries he sustained in the April 17 shooting, police said. He was taken to a detention facility “in the region,” authorities said, not specifying which one.

It’s not clear if Ikner has an attorney at this time.

The 20-year-old stepson of a sheriff’s deputy is accused of killing two people and injuring at least six after allegedly opening fire on the university’s main campus in Tallahassee before he was apprehended, officials said.

The two victims who died were Robert Morales, a university dining coordinator, and Tiru Chabba, an executive for food service vendor Aramark, according to family members and attorneys for the families.

There does not appear to be a connection between Ikner and any of the victims, according to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell.

Ikner is believed to be a student at FSU, and some of his classmates have said that he harbored white supremacist and far-right views. A motive for the shooting is still unknown.

The 20-year-old changed his name from Christian Gunnar Eriksen to his current name in 2020, according to an FBI official. He is a registered Republican, per online public voter records.

A handgun found on the scene, which officials said was used in the shooting, is believed to belong to Ikner’s stepmother, a sheriff’s deputy, according to Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil. Officials said the weapon is her former service weapon, which became her personal service weapon, and that it was located at the scene.

Ikner’s stepmother has been with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years, and requested personal leave following the shooting. She was also reassigned to the property crimes unit.

The gunman arrived on campus an hour before the shooting  and stayed near a parking garage before he walked in and out of buildings and green spaces while firing a handgun just before lunchtime, police said.

Classes resumed on campus four days after the violence.

Students and instructors could opt to attend class in person or remotely, depending on the class. The school has waived all mandatory attendance policies that could affect grades, so students won’t be punished if they choose not to go to class in person, FSU President Richard McCullough said in a letter to students and faculty.