Florida State University to Hold Vigil Honoring Victims of Deadly Campus Shooting

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State University (FSU) will hold a vigil at 5 p.m. today at Langford Green to honor the victims of a mass shooting that claimed two lives and injured six others on Thursday near the Student Union building. The tragedy, which unfolded on a sunny spring day, has left the campus community reeling, with students and faculty grappling with fear and grief. The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a political science major and son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy, was shot by police and is in custody, facing charges related to the attack.

The shooting began around lunchtime, sending students fleeing in panic, barricading doors, and abandoning belongings as gunfire echoed across campus. According to the Tallahassee Police Department, Ikner used his mother's former service weapon to carry out the attack, which killed two men—neither of whom were FSU students—and wounded six others, including one in critical condition. The FBI is assisting in the investigation, but authorities have not yet released the victims' identities or a motive, though they believe Ikner acted alone.

FSU has canceled classes and events through the weekend, closing the campus to focus on healing. A Support Center at the Askew Student Life Center will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, offering counseling and victim advocacy services. Students can retrieve personal items left behind during the chaos from select buildings between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. with photo ID. The vigil, organized by FSU's Division of Student Affairs in partnership with Maura's Voice—a local organization founded to combat violence after the 2018 murder of FSU student Maura Binkley—will provide a space for communal mourning near the Unconquered Statue.

The attack marks FSU's second shooting since 2014, when a gunman wounded three people in the Strozier Library. "I'm heartbroken for the victims and their families," said urban planning professor Chris Coutts, who experienced both incidents. Social media posts on X reflect the campus's somber mood, with students sharing images of tribute flowers and calls for solidarity. "FSU is hurting, but we'll come together," one user wrote.

President Donald Trump called the shooting "terrible" and a "shame" but signaled reluctance to pursue new gun laws, emphasizing his support for the Second Amendment. The incident has reignited debates over campus safety and gun violence, with Maura's Voice advocating for stronger prevention measures. As FSU prepares to mourn, the vigil stands as a testament to the university's resilience in the face of tragedy.