The suspect accused of shooting two people and injuring five others at Florida State University on Thursday (18) is the son of a local deputy, according to authorities.
He spent time training with the police and serving in a sheriff advisory board in the years prior to the alleged attack.
When he was arrested, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner carried a pistol that used to be the service weapon of Vice-Xerife Jessica Ikner, according to authorities and records.
An analysis of judicial records shows that Phoenix Ikner had a tumultuous childhood with another woman-identified in documents as a biological mother-accused of taking him from the US in violation of a custody agreement when he was 10 years old.
Sheriff Walter McNeil commented on reporters that the suspect was “immersed in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office family and participated in several training programs we have, so it’s no surprise for us to have access to weapons.”
Jessica Ikner served in the Sheriff Department for over 18 years, according to McNeil, adding that “her service to this community was exceptional.”
She did not respond to a request for comment.
Phoenix Ikner was a member of the Sheriff Youth Advisory Board, created to “provide an open line of communication between Leon County and local police authorities,” according to a 2021 press release.
Mcneil described him as a “longtime member” of the board.
On Instagram, an account with the name and photo of Ikner, which was taken down after public identification, included a biblical quote on your profile: “You are my hammer, my weapon.
The suspect is a registered republican, according to the records of Florida voters.
He was cited in January in a student newspaper article at Florida State University on Anti-Trump protests before the president’s inauguration.
“These people are often a lot of fun, but usually not for good reasons,” said Ikner, who was described as a graduate in political science.
“I think it’s a little too late, he (Trump) will already take office on January 20 and there is not much to do unless he revolves openly, and I think nobody wants that.” He added.
Invited to leave a political club for disturbing behavior
Reid Seybold, a FSU student, reported to CNN Who knew Phoenix Ikner, met him in an extracurricular political club a few years ago.
Seybold commented that Ikner was invited to leave the group, which discussed current events due to behavior that disturbed others.
“He has always left many people uncomfortable, to the point that some people stop attending. It was when we reached the break with Phoenix, and asked him to leave,” Seybold reported Omar Jimenez of CNN on Thursday (17).
He said Ikner’s comments were “beyond conservatism.”
“It’s been a few years. I can’t give exact quotes,” he said. “He talked about the damage of multiculturalism and communism and how they are ruining the United States.”
THE CNN It did not independently verify the allegations of the suspect’s beliefs. Authorities have not yet disclosed any possible reason behind the gunfire.
Leon County Court records show that Ikner’s biological mother was accused of taking him to Norway when he was 10, violating a custody agreement.
The court documents refer to the child as Christian Eriksen and claim that he and his biological mother have double American and Norwegian citizenship.
The suspect of the shot attack later changed the name of Christian Eriksen to Phoenix Ikner, confirmed a police source to CNN .
According to a testimony of a sheriff’s detective, the child’s biological mother told her father that she would take him south of Florida on spring holidays in March 2015.
Instead, she “fled the country with him, violating the custody agreement”, taking him to Norway, according to the statement.
The suspect’s biological mother claimed not to contest the removal of a minor of the state against a court order.
She was sentenced to 200 days in prison, 170 of which she had already served, followed for two years of “community control” and then two years in parole, according to the court’s documents.
She was ordered not to have contact during the sentence with her son or any of the teachers, doctors or counselors, unless authorized by a court.
Subsequently, she filed an action to nullify her request, claiming that she had made it under coercion, and the request was denied.
It is unclear whether the suspect’s biological mother had contact with him in the last decade, and she did not respond to requests for comment.
But right after the shooting, she posted on Facebook complaining that her son’s father had not answered when she wrote “to ask if it’s okay with my son, who studies at FSU.”
Community members reported that they were still struggling to reconcile Phoenix Ikner’s ties with the police and the alleged attack.
Kenniyah Houston, a member of the Sheriff’s Youth Council, told the CNN who was shocked to learn that the supposed shooter had served by his side.
She did not personally remember Ikner, but commented that the advisory board was focused on improving the community and improving law enforcement, so her actions were especially shocking.
“That’s what it was – make better decisions,” she said. “Something like that happens to someone in a group like this is scary … It’s devastating.”
This content was originally published in fire attack in Florida: what is known about the suspect on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
