The tragedy occurred at noon on Friday. The weapon used by the author for the crime is registered in the name of his mother, an agent with more than 18 years of service at the Sheriff’s office.
“The attacker is 20 years old,” said the Sheriff of Leon, Walt McNeil, who praised the work of his subaltern. The young man was identified as Phoenix Ikner and has already been arrested. The gun that carried belonged to his mother, according to the chief of the police of Tallahassee, Lawrence Revell.
“Unfortunately, his son had access to one of his weapons, and it was one of those weapons that we found on the scene,” said the Sheriff of Leon, Walt McNeil, who added that the attacker’s mother “has provided a tremendous service to the community.”
The police of Tallahassee said that, despite the rapid response, and the incident ended in less than five minutes, the suspect could hurt eight people and impact the lives of hundreds of students, teachers, staff, lifeguards and residents of this community through their actions.
The Secretary of Justice, Pam Bondi, said that the FBI participates in the investigation and “we are in communication with the agents on the ground. Our priority is the security of all those involved.”
How the events occurred
Police paid a preliminary report on how the facts were triggered. At approximately 11 am, the suspect, Phoenix Ikner, arrived at a FSU parking lot. He remained in the area for an hour, entering and leaving the vehicle.
“At 11:51 am, Ikner left the parking lot. Between 11:56 and 11:57 am, he made the first shot. The shooter entered and left buildings and green spaces shooting a gun.”
At 11:58, the authorities received multiple calls to 911 informing that a man is actively shooting on the campus, simultaneously to a police response from the nearby officers. At 12 noon, the suspect is shot by the officers who respond and is arrested “in the crime scene.
“The alleged attacker was also a long -standing member of the Leon County Department, citizen of the Youth Advisory Council, so he had been immersed in a series of programs of the Sheriff’s office,” McNeil said.
According to the police chief, he does not “surprise” that he had access to weapons.
Tallahassee authorities did not identify the victims, but reported that the two deceased were not students from the Center for Studies.
The Police said that he continues to interview witnesses and victims after the shooting, since there is an open and active investigation.
“A horrible thing”
President Donald Trump, questioned by journalists at the White House, said the incident was “a penalty.” It is “a horrible thing that situations like these happen,” he added.
The Florida State University, which houses more than 40,000 students, canceled classes until Friday and the sporting events of the weekend due to the tragedy.
During the events, the educational center alerted the students of the shooting on their social networks and instructed them to look for where to take refuge.
“Keep under shelter until the forces of the order contact them,” he spread.
The matter flooded US social networks, with people sharing some of the images that marked the campus this Thursday: stalking police and students with their hands high dislodging the campus.
Chaos
This Thursday at the FSU campus an active shooter was reported in the immediate vicinity of the Student Union, the institution’s student center.
The shooting unleashed chaotic scenes in the house of studies that houses more than 40,000 students.
“Everyone began to run away from the Student Union,” said a witness who identified himself as Wayne in an interview with the local television television.
“As a minute later we hear between eight and ten shots,” he added.
Wayne said he had seen a man who had apparently been injured.
“Everything was surreal, I couldn’t believe what I saw.”
The Tallahassee police reported that they were on the campus, like other security forces, to control the situation.
The injured
Earlier, in a statement, the MEMORIAL DE TALLAHASSEE Hospital said that the doctors of the establishment “received and are attending to the patients.”
“We have six patients, one in critical condition and the rest in serious conditions,” said a hospital spokesman.
The Tallahassee Democrat newspaper cited student Sam Swartz, who was in the basement of the Student Union when the shooting began.
“Everyone was scared,” said Swartz, who said he heard about ten shots.
A group of eight people who worked on a project entrenched themselves in a hall and armed a barricade of garbage pots and wooden boards.
“I remember learning that the best thing you can do is something to slow them down because they don’t want to do anything to take time; they just want to kill how many people are possible,” said Swartz.
Police announce
The police authorities reported at 3:30 pm that the campus is insured. “Several public order agencies remain in place to continue the investigation. The student union and its surroundings are still considered an active crime scene. You should not return to the area under any reason.”
At the same time, he announced that school transport is underway to help students move and reach the point that has been selected for reunification; This is the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.
The alert
The university sent an emergency alert shortly after noon indicating the following:
“An active shooter is reported in the Student Union area. The police are in the place or on the way. Continue looking for refuge and wait more instructions. Close and get away from all doors and windows and be prepared to take additional protection measures.”
Various publications in social networks realize having heard shots on the campus. Witnesses say that sirens were heard throughout the Tallahassee center during the morning.
An employee of the Bellamy building, located near the Student Union, told a reporter that the building was immediately closed and that the police began a floor evacuation by floor. The same source said he had heard sounds that seemed to be shots inside the building.
Local media, such as WFTV 9, ABC 7 and the Tallahassee democratthey tried to communicate with the Police Department of the State University of Florida (FSUPD), but reported that all the lines were occupied. When contacting the Police Department of Tallahassee, spokesman Lieutenant Damon Miller indicated that the consultations should be directed directly to FSUPD.
So far the number of victims has not been confirmed, but it was learned that at least four people were transferred to the hospital. The authorities keep the investigation active while the university community remains sheltered.
In a series of videos that have come to light and were published by WTVC Newschannel 9, at least one person injured on the floor is appreciated.
This is a developing event.
Prevention against shootings
In the emergency management section, on the website of the Florida State University Alert that in most cases, active or aggressors use firearms or any weapon that can be used to kill, and there is no pattern or method to select their victims.
The situations of active shooters are unpredictable and evolve rapidly, reports the university. Normally, immediate deployment of order forces is required to stop shooting and mitigate damage to victims.
Since active shooters are usually resolved within 10 to 15 minutes, before order forces reach the place, people must be prepared both mentally and physically to face an active shooter situation.
According to statistics provided by the University, since 2000, 15 cases of active shooters have been reported in University Campus (Federal Investigation Office, FBI), and 56% of these cases end even before the police arrive.
Among the security councils that this university center facilitates on its page, is the “Running-Scoir-Peiro” triad, detailed below.
Run:
Have an escape route and a plan in mind.
Leave your belongings.
Evaculate even if others accept to follow you.
Help others to escape, if possible.
Do not try to move the injured.
It prevents others from entering an area where the active shooter can be.
Keep visible hands.
Call 911 when you are safe.
Hide:
Side in an out of the view of the shooter.
Close the door and block the entrance to your hiding place.
Silence your mobile phone (including vibration mode) and remains silent.
Fight:
Fight as last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.
Try to incapacitate the shooter.
It acts with the greatest possible physical aggressiveness.
Improvise weapons or throw objects to the active shooter.
Commit to your actions. Your life depends on it.
The first agents to get to the place will not stop helping the injured. Wait for rescue teams to follow the first agents.
These teams will attend and withdraw the injured.
Once you reach a safe place, it is likely that the forces of the order be held in that area until the situation is under control and all witnesses have been identified and interrogated.
Do not leave the area until the authorities indicate it.
