Who Is Phoenix Ikner, The 20-Year-Old Behind Florida University Shooting
At least two people were killed and six others sustained injuries in a shooting at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The gunman, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, opened fire near the student union building around lunchtime. Ikner is a student at FSU and the son of a veteran Leon County police officer.
The suspect was shot by police at the scene and taken to a hospital. His condition remains unknown. The motive behind the shooting is still unclear.
Campus police said the two people killed were not FSU students. Their identities have not yet been released.
Who is Phoenix Ikner?
- Phoenix Ikner is a 20-year-old student currently enrolled at Florida State University (FSU). He is a Political Science major.
- He is the son of Jessica Ikner, a school resource officer with the Leon County Sheriff's Office. Phoenix Ikner was previously involved with the Leon County Sheriff's Office as a member of its Youth Advisory Council, The NY Post reported.
- According to Florida voter registration records, Phoenix Ikner is a registered Republican. In January, he participated in a campus protest against President Donald Trump's inauguration, according to Florida State University's student newspaper, FSUNews.com. He was previously quoted in a report by the outlet, but the quote was removed on Thursday following the shooting incident. The editors added a note explaining that they did not wish to amplify the suspect's voice in light of the tragedy.
- Court records obtained by CNN reveal that Ikner had a troubled childhood. According to documents, a woman identified as his biological mother was accused of illegally taking him to Norway when he was just 10 years old, violating a court-ordered custody agreement.
- Court documents reveal that Phoenix Ikner was originally named Christian Eriksen. They say that both he and his biological mother are dual citizens of the United States and Norway. According to a law enforcement source cited by CNN, he legally changed his name from Christian Eriksen to Phoenix Ikner at a later stage in life.
Authorities confirmed that Phoenix Ikner had access to his mother's firearms and brought one of her pistols to the FSU campus on the day of the shooting. His mother had kept the gun after the police department upgraded its firearms. She is described as a "model employee" by Sheriff Walt McNeil, as per the BBC.
Apart from the pistol, Ikner was also found in possession of a shotgun, although it remains unclear whether he used the shotgun during the attack.
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