On Thursday (April 17) a person believed to be a student opened fire at Florida State University, taking the lives of two people and injuring six others.
An FSU student named Phoenix Ikner is accused of the shooting and has been placed in custody, according to various reports.
The 20-year-old is reported as being the son of a police officer and having used one of his mom's weapons during the shooting.
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Here's everything we know about Ikner so far.
Who is Phoenix Ikner?
Ikner is believed to be a student at FSU and, according to Tallahassee Police Department, was able to get hold of one of his mom's weapons, which was found at the scene.
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The department also noted the alleged shooter was 'a long-standing member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council'.
"So he has been steeped in the Leon county sheriff's office family, engaged in a number of training programs that we have," the spokesperson continued. "So it's not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons."
Reflecting on the event as 'tragic' in 'more ways than' many 'could even fathom,' the department resolved: "We will make sure we do everything we can to make sure we prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will not be tolerated here in Leon county and I daresay, across the state and across this nation."
According to CNN, over on Instagram, an account with Ikner's name and photo included a quote reading: “You are my war club, my weapon for battle; with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms.”
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Meanwhile, the student is a registered Republican, according to records.
Who is Ikner's mother?
Ikner's mother is Sheriff Deputy, Jessica Ikner.
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During a press conference, Tallahassee Police Department stated: "Our Deputy, Deputy Ikner, has been with the lieutenant sheriff's office for over 18 years, she has a tremendous job that she's done, her service to this community has been exceptional.
"Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons found at the scene and we are continuing our investigation into how that weapon was used and what other weapons, perhaps, he may've had access to."
According to CNN, Leon County Court records have revealed that when Ikner was 10 years old, his biological mother was accused of violating a custody agreement by taking him to Norway, after saying she was travelling to South Florida for spring break.
She was sentenced to 200 days in jail. It's unclear if she has since had contact with Ikner, however, the publication claims she posted on Facebook to say her son's father hadn't responded when she contacted him 'to ask if everything is alright with my son, who studies at FSU'.
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What have people said about Ikner?
One FSU student Reid Seybold, told CNN that Ikner was previously asked to leave an extracurricular political club a few years ago, due to unsettling comments.
“He had continually made enough people uncomfortable where certain people had stopped coming. That’s kind of when we reached the breaking point with Phoenix, and we asked him to leave,” he said.
“It’s been a couple of years now. I can’t give exact quotes. He talked about the ravages of multiculturalism and communism and how it’s ruining America.”
Speaking of the shooting, a 21-year-old communications student named Ryan Cedergren told AP News that he and around 30 other students hid in the bowling alley area of the university after seeing others fleeing, noting 'in that moment' it was simply about 'survival'.
Fellow student Chris Pento told WCTV: "It was surreal."
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Topics: World News, US News, Gun Crime
Lucy Devine