FSU shooting suspect Phoenix Ikner denied bond
Alleged FSU shooter, first court appearance, no bond
The alleged FSU shooter, Phoenix Ikner, made his first court appearance Tuesday. Ikner was denied bond. FOX 35's Marley Capper has the latest updates.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Phoenix Ikner, the man accused of shooting and killing two and injuring six others, at Florida State University last month, made his first court appearance Tuesday after being released from the hospital Monday.
Bond denied, no-contact order
New Information:
A Lean County judge denied bond for Ikner and ordered no-contact with the shooting victims, families or any other witnesses.
Released from hospital, taken to jail
What we know:
On Monday, Ikner was released from a Tallahassee hospital following an extended stay and multiple surgeries after being shot in the jaw by police during the April 17 incident.
Alleged FSU shooter released from hospital, now in jail
Phoenix Ikner, the man charged in the FSU shooting, has been released from the hospital and is now in jail awaiting his first appearance Tuesday.
Suspected gunman's motive still unclear
What we know:
Authorities say 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner opened fire on the main campus of Florida State University around 11:50 a.m. on April 17.
Two people, both non-students, were killed, and six others sustained gunshot wounds.
Responding officers quickly engaged Ikner and shot him during the confrontation.
Ikner now faces two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder. He has been transferred to a regional detention facility.
What we don't know:
Several key details remain unknown, including Ikner’s motive for the shooting. Officials have not yet released the probable cause affidavit, which may provide further insight into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
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Who is Phoenix Ikner?
The backstory:
Phoenix Ikner, the son of a Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputy, was appointed in 2021 to the Youth Advisory Council — a group created to foster dialogue between local youth and law enforcement. That role now contrasts sharply with the violent crime he’s accused of, and his ties to law enforcement are likely to come under increased scrutiny as the investigation unfolds.
Caught in the middle of a custody fight
According to court records, when Ikner was 11 – nine years before the FSU shooting – his biological mom reportedly took him to Norway, which was a violation of the custody agreement.
According to the complaint, the mom allegedly said she and Ikner were going to South Florida, but then fled to Norway, where she reportedly had dual citizenship.
Ikner's dad sent texts and emails to the mom asking when she would return with their son, but reportedly would get vague replies, according to the complaint. A judge found that there was probable cause that the mom had violated the custody agreement.
In the complaint, Ikner's dad reportedly expressed concern that their son suffered from "developmental delays" and "has special needs" that would not be taken care of unless he was in the U.S. It was also alleged that Ikner suffers from ADHD.
Records show that a judge ordered the mom to return to the U.S. with Ikner and threatened to give the dad sole custody. That case ended with a plea agreement, records show.
Months later, Ikner's mom filed a slander lawsuit against Ikner's dad and wife. That lawsuit was dismissed, according to court records.
Ikner shot by police after refusing commands
Timeline:
The Tallahassee Police Department said Ikner was challenged – and shot – by police less than five minutes after he allegedly started firing a handgun at FSU.
He refused officers' commands and was shot, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters. Tallahassee Police released a timeline of the shooting:
- 11 AM: Suspect, Phoenix Ikner, arrives at an FSU parking garage. He stays there for about an hour, moving in and out of his vehicle.
- 11:51 AM: He leaves the parking garage.
- 11:56 & 11:57 AM: First shot is fired. The suspect walks in and out of buildings and green spaces, firing a handgun.
- 11:58 AM: Multiple 911 calls report a man shooting on campus.
- 12 PM: Ikner is shot by law enforcement and taken into custody.
FSU shooting: Terror in Tallahassee
Two people were killed, and six people were injured, in a mass shooting on Thursday at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida. The 20-year-old suspect, a student at FSU and the son of a Leon County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) deputy, was shot and taken into custody, officials said. As of Friday, only one of the two people killed has been identified: Robert Morales, who was an FSU dining coordinator and restaurant owner. The school announced Morales' death at the vigil hosted on Friday afternoon. The Tallahassee Police Department, the lead agency investigating the shooting and the deaths, has not yet released the names of those killed or hurt. However, the family of Morales has shared memorials online, and FSU President Richard D. McCullough confirmed the name of the man killed at the school's vigil on Friday.
Who were the 2 victims killed in the shooting?
Dig deeper:
Authorities identified the two victims who were killed in the shooting as Tiru Chabba, 45, of Greenville, South Carolina, and Robert Morales, 57, of Tallahassee.
Chabba was on the FSU campus working as an employee for a campus vendor at the time of the shooting. He is survived by his wife and two children. Morales, a food service employee, is survived by a wife and daughter.
What they're saying:
Authorities have remained largely tight-lipped beyond formal statements, pending the release of additional legal documents.
"In any case, especially one of this magnitude, the Tallahassee Police Department has the highest commitment to justice, transparency and the safety of our community," Chief of Police Lawrence Revell said in a news release on Monday. "We are grateful for the work of our detectives, officers, medical personnel and partner agencies who helped bring us to this point."
Family of FSU shooting victim releases statement through attorneys
Attorneys representing the family of Tiru Chabba, the 45-year-old father of two killed in last month's mass shooting at Florida State University, issued a statement today after Phoenix Ikner appeared in court.
The statement reads as follows:
"This is an incredibly difficult day for Tiru Chabba’s family, particularly his wife and two young children. Our hope is that, through the thorough and transparent investigation and prosecution of the events surrounding last month’s shooting, today’s court appearance will mark the first steps toward closure for a family that suffered so much. That journey is far from over, and we have a long way left to go. But Mr. Chabba’s family would like to thank the Tallahassee Police Department and State Attorney Jack Campbell for their dedication to ensuring that justice is done for their family and all those scarred by this unthinkable act of violence."
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Tallhassee Police Department and previous reporting by FOX 35 News and Fox News Digital.