Florida state university shooter ‘espoused so much white supremacist rhetoric’, says report

The gunman who opened hearth at Florida State University, killing two and injuring six others, had a recognized historical past of selling white supremacist rhetoric, in keeping with former classmates and a brand new report.
Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old scholar and son of a sheriff’s deputy, reportedly shared disturbing and hateful views throughout his time at Tallahassee State College earlier than transferring to FSU. Fellow college students stated he commonly pushed racist theories, together with that Black folks have been destroying his neighbourhood and that Rosa Parks had been “in the wrong”.
“Basically our only rule was no Nazis — colloquially speaking — and he espoused so much white supremacist rhetoric, and far-right rhetoric as well, to the point where we had to exercise that rule,” former scholar Reid Seybold informed the Tallahassee Democrat, recalling Ikner being requested to depart a political membership on campus.
Another scholar, Lucas Luzietti, who studied federal politics with Ikner in 2023, informed USA Today that he usually argued with him over “gross” issues he stated, together with conspiracy theories about President Joe Biden’s election and open declarations of proudly owning weapons. Luzietti stated, “It’s so sad and so shocking. Then to see that it was him — I’m sadly not surprised.”
Ikner was a member of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office’s youth advisory council and was described by Sheriff Walt McNeil as being deeply concerned of their coaching programmes. “It’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons,” McNeil stated, noting the weapon used within the assault belonged to Ikner’s mom, a long-serving deputy.
The capturing, which started exterior the scholar union round lunchtime on Thursday, left college students scrambling for security. “Everyone was crying and just panicking,” stated Carolina Sena, who was contained in the constructing when photographs rang out. “We were trying to barricade ourselves in a little corner in the basement.”
Witnesses described the chaos as Ikner allegedly started capturing with a handgun after his shotgun jammed. “I got lucky today. I really, really did,” stated scholar Aidan Stickney, who narrowly prevented being shot.
Ikner was shot by responding officers after refusing to drop his weapon and stays hospitalised with critical however non-life-threatening accidents. The victims who died weren’t FSU college students, authorities confirmed.
President Trump commented on the incident, calling it “a horrible thing”, however reaffirmed his opposition to stricter gun legal guidelines. University President Richard McCullough described the capturing as a “tragic day for Florida State University”.