TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Police say two people were killed and five others were injured when someone opened fire Thursday on the campus of Florida State University.

Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower said at a 4:30 p.m. news conference that the first shots were fired at 11:50 a.m. He said FSU police officers responded "immediately."

Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil identified the suspect as the son of one of his deputies, and said he allegedly used one of his parent's firearms in the shooting. The suspect is Phoenix Ikner, 20 years old.

The ATF and FBI are now involved in the investigation.

FSU officials told students and faculty at 3:30 p.m. to continue staying away from Student Union, Bellamy, HCB Classroom Building, Rovetta A&B, Moore Auditorium, Shaw, Pepper, Hecht House and Carraway as they are still considered an active crime scene.

Individuals are free to move about other areas of campus. Individuals who may have witnessed anything of value should call 850-891-4987.

In a post on X at about 2:50 p.m., FSU urged students, faculty and staff to call their loved ones as soon as possible to let them know their status.

The first reports of an active shooting were sent by the school a few minutes after noon Thursday, warning students to shelter in place and to stay away from doors.

A student reunification point has been established at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.

FSU President Richard McCullough issued a statement Thursday, in which he called the described the shooting, and said that the university's focus is on taking care of people. 

"Right now, our focus is on taking care of people. That means the victims and their families. It means students, faculty, and staff who were nearby and are now trying to make sense of what they experienced. And it means every person in our campus community who is feeling shaken or overwhelmed," he said on X.

Areas of campus were sectioned off by police, who were heavily armed as they responded to the shooting. Meanwhile, students could be seen exiting an area near the school's student union, with their hands placed above their heads.

"We were just in the middle of our lesson, and there was a student that said, 'Hey, I'm so sorry,' and they stood up fast, and said there's an active shooter on Landis," said FSU student Emily Azevado, who was on campus when the shooting happened.

She said her classmates stayed calm and did what they were instructed to do.

Lauren Azevado, Emily's sister and also an FSU student, said she was still home when she got the announcement on her phone.

"It was scary, I ended up texting a lot of my friends and making sure everyone's OK," she said. "It was really scary to go through. I could hear sirens, helicopters, because I was pretty close to the union as well.

She added: "It's still very nerve-wracking, I was shaky, I was nervous. Still kind of hard to talk about and feel."

FSU student Will Duran was in class around noon about 200 yards away from where the shooting happened. He said he and his classmates heard "loud, banging noises" from outside.

On X and on its website, the school's first statement said:

"An active shooter has been reported in the area of Student Union. Police are on scene or on the way. Continue to seek shelter and await further instructions. Lock and stay away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protective measures."

The school later announced that classes for the rest of Thursday and all of Friday have been canceled. Friday marks two weeks before the university’s scheduled commencement ceremony for graduates on May 2-3. The university’s official finals week per its academic calendar are scheduled to start April 28.

Athletic events have been canceled through the weekend, the school said.

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said it is treating patients related to the incident. They said:

"TMH is actively receiving and caring for patients related to an incident that has occurred at Florida State University. At this time, details are still unfolding, and we do not yet have specific information to share. However, we want to assure the community that our teams are fully mobilized and prepared to provide the highest level of care and support to all those affected.

"We remain in close coordination with emergency responders and public safety officials. Out of respect for patient privacy and to ensure accurate information, we will provide updates as soon as they are available."

Florida State University students are seen walking with their hands up as authorities say there have been reports of an active shooter on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spectrum News/Jason Delgado)

Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, said many of the students who survived are attending FSU and now experiencing another shooting.

On X, he wrote: “Incredibly, some of them were just a part of their 2nd school shooting and some were in the student union today. As a father, all I ever wanted after the Parkland shooting was to help our children be safe.”

The school was rocked by a shooting more than a decade ago.

On Nov. 20, 2014, a shooting occurred at Florida State University's Robert Manning Strozier Library, resulting in three injuries and the death of the gunman, Myron May. Two students and a library employee were wounded before police fatally shot May outside the library. 

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