Florida State University shooting leaves two dead; Suspect identified as Deputy Sheriff’s son
Tallahassee: A tragic shooting incident at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday left two people dead and five others injured, prompting a major police response and lockdown across the campus. Authorities have identified the alleged shooter as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a student at FSU and the son of a longtime Leon County deputy sheriff.
According to law enforcement officials, Ikner used his mother’s former service weapon during the shooting. The firearm was issued to her during her time with the department. Sheriff Walt McNeil confirmed that Ikner had participated in the Sheriff’s Office training programs in the past, which may have given him familiarity with handling firearms.
The shooting began around midday near the student union, one of the busiest areas on campus. Eyewitnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and described scenes of panic as students fled the area. One student, identified as Wayne, told local outlet WCTV that “everyone just started running out of the student union. We heard about eight to 10 gunshots.”
In video footage aired by CNN, Ikner was seen walking across a campus lawn, firing at fleeing individuals. Authorities responded quickly, and the suspect was shot by police before being taken into custody. He is currently being treated at a hospital, and his condition has not been disclosed.
FSU President Richard McCullough expressed deep sorrow over the incident. “This is a tragic day for Florida State University. We’re absolutely heartbroken by the violence that occurred on our campus earlier today,” he said in a statement. All classes were cancelled for the day, and students were advised to stay off campus.
The university, which has a student population of over 40,000, immediately went into lockdown, with shelter-in-place orders issued as emergency responders secured the area. Students shared videos on social media showing evacuations and armed officers patrolling the grounds.
Among those injured were individuals not affiliated with FSU. Authorities confirmed the two fatalities were not FSU students but declined to release their identities pending family notification.
One student, Sam Swartz, who was in the basement of the student union when the incident occurred, recalled barricading himself and others using trash cans and plywood. “Everyone started freaking out. I remember learning to do the best you can to make them take time,” he told the Tallahassee Democrat.
U.S. President Donald Trump responded to the shooting, calling it "a shame" while reiterating his stance in support of the Second Amendment. “These are awful things, but the gun doesn't shoot; the people do,” he said.
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
