“We are devastated” – Miami Heat condemned FSU mass shooting that killed two

Two people were killed and six others injured in a mass shooting at Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee late Friday night, authorities confirmed. The incident occurred near the FSU campus recreation center, prompting an immediate lockdown and heavy police presence. Following the devastating incident, the Miami Heat responded, condemning the violence on their social media.

In a horrifying midday incident at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, two people were killed and six others injured when 20-year-old student Phoenix Ikner opened fire near the student union. The attack, which unfolded around 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, April 17, triggered chaos and panic across the campus. The suspect, son of a long-serving Leon County sheriff’s deputy, used his mother’s former service weapon and also carried a shotgun. Ikner was shot by police and is currently in custody and receiving medical treatment.
The incident has created a shockwave across the state. The Miami Heat reacted to the incident, condemning the gun violence. “We are devastated by the senseless gun violence that claimed innocent lives in our state. Many members of our heat family are Florida State alumni as well as parents of current students, some of whom had chairs wedged under their dorm doors to barricade themselves inside,” the Heat wrote on X in a statement.

“These students should be preparing for finals, not wondering if they should prepare to say final goodbyes,” the statement continued.
The organization also urges a meaningful reform: “How many more of these events must take place before meaningful reform is enacted to end this epidemic?”
Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil confirmed the suspect’s identity and expressed disbelief at the circumstances. "Unfortunately her son had access to one of her weapons," McNeil said, describing the deputy as an exemplary officer with more than 18 years of service. “He had been steeped in the Leon County Sheriff Office's family,” McNeil added.
Authorities say both of the victims who lost their lives were not students at FSU. Their identities are yet to be released. Emergency responders rushed the wounded to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Hospital, where all were reported to be out of danger by late afternoon.
The FBI and ATF were dispatched to assist in the ongoing investigation, while President Donald Trump addressed the incident briefly. “It’s a shame. It’s a horrible thing. Horrible thing,” Trump said, later reaffirming his support for the Second Amendment: “These things are terrible. But the gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also expressed sympathy, stating, “Our prayers are with our FSU family.”
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As investigators piece together a motive, many in the FSU community are left grieving and asking difficult questions. The university has canceled all classes through Friday and suspended sports events through the weekend.