Terrifying new footage has emerged online, showing suspected gunman Phoenix Ikner firing randomly as students flee in panic at Florida State University.
A mass shooting occurred at Florida State University's student union building on Thursday (April 17), resulting in the deaths of two non-students and injuries to five others. Authorities initially reported a sixth injury but later corrected the count.
The suspect was identified as FSU student Phoenix Ikner, and he was shot and wounded by police after refusing to follow commands. He was found carrying both a handgun and a shotgun, officials confirmed.
Before his capture, harrowing footage circulating on social media showed the alleged gunman pacing across a campus green, discharging a handgun while panicked students flee and a bloodied victim lies on the ground nearby.
Additional video clips appear to show the injured individual later receiving medical assistance from responding officers.
It's been reported that the 20-year-old suspect, who is currently hospitalized and in custody, is the stepson of Leon County Deputy Jessica Ikner, a law enforcement officer with over 18 years of service. Police said he used her firearm in the shooting.
“This is obviously a heinous crime,” said Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil. “We will make sure that we do everything we can to prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will never be tolerated here in Leon County, and I dare say across the state and across this nation.”
While authorities have not released a motive, Florida State student Reid Seybold told CNN that he recognized Ikner from a campus political club several years ago. Seybold said the group eventually removed Ikner due to disturbing behavior.
“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,” Seybold said, adding that Ikner’s rhetoric went “beyond conservatism.”
“It’s been a couple of years now. I can’t give exact quotes,” he added. “He talked about the ravages of multiculturalism and communism and how it’s ruining America.”
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that the FSU student newspaper previously noted Ikner had participated in a protest against Donald Trump’s inauguration. However, the quotes attributed to him were reportedly removed on Thursday.
As the community reels from the tragedy, the shooting has reignited fierce debate over gun legislation.
During a press briefing in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his long-standing support for the Second Amendment when asked about the FSU shooting.
"I'm a big advocate of the Second Amendment, I have been from the beginning," Trump said. "I protected it."
Commenting on the incident, the 78-year-old added: "These things are terrible. But the gun doesn't do the shooting, the people do - a phrase that's used probably too often. It's a shame. I'm just hearing about it now. I know the area very well, I know the school very well, it's Florida."
He indicated more commentary may come later: "I’ll have more to say about it later, about what happened."
Despite the violence, Trump did not propose any policy changes: "This has been going on for a long time. I have an obligation to protect the Second Amendment, I ran on the Second Amendment among many other things, and I will always protect the Second Amendment."