People evacuate Florida State University (FSU) campus after a mass shooting in Tallahassee, Florida, US.
Credit: Reuters Photo
A deputy sheriff's son killed two people and wounded four others at Florida State University on Thursday before he was shot by officers and hospitalised, authorities said.
Police believe the gunman - the son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy - acted alone and a motive was not known. The suspect had access to his mother's handgun, which was once her service weapon.
Here is all you need to know about Phoenix Ikner:
- The 20-year-old suspect - identified as Phoenix Ikner - was believed to be a student at FSU in the state capital of Tallahassee, said Jason Trumbower, chief of the university's police force.
- The two people who were killed were not students. Trumbower did not provide details on the four others who were shot and wounded. He was allegedly carrying his mother's former service rifle at the time of the incident.
- As per a report in India Today, his mother had been with the sheriff's office for more than 18 years and was a "model employee".
- In addition to the handgun, authorities believe the suspect brought a shotgun onto campus but said it was uncertain if that weapon was used in the shooting.
- As per an NYT report, Ikner had been a member of the youth advisory committee at the sheriff's office and was involved in training programmes.
Mass shootings on US school campuses have become recurring tragedies in recent years. Thursday's incident was the second shooting on the FSU campus in 11 years. In 2014, a graduate opened fire early at the school's main library, wounding two students and an employee as hundreds were studying for exams.
(With Reuters inputs)