FSU shooting left 2 dead, 6 injured; alleged shooter in custody

Michael Matranga, a former Secret Service agent, said, “It’s sad that what we have to celebrate is that the response is getting better” in active shooter situations. Matranga joins “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” to discuss the Thursday shooting at Florida State University and the legislation he says is needed.

Florida State University says all classes on the main Tallahassee campus are canceled for Thursday and Friday. Employees are asked to check with supervisors to determine if they are essential and for specific reporting instructions.

Authorities have contacted the families of all victims. Because many students and staff were separated from their belongings — including phones — everyone is urged to reach out to family as soon as possible to confirm they are safe.

Anyone who left belongings in buildings during the incident should complete this form: fla.st/55ONDDIT. Those who fill it out will be notified about the recovery process starting Friday.

Community members are mourning after a gunman opened fire, killing two and injuring six others at Florida State University on Thursday. The tragedy hit home for those who were around for a prior shooting on campus in 2014. Tallahassee City Commissioner Jacqueline Porter joined “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” to discuss.

The 20-year-old suspect in Thursday’s shooting at Florida State University allegedly used the old service weapon of his mother, a Leon County sheriff’s deputy, authorities said. The deputy’s potential legal culpability isn’t clear, legal analyst Misty Marris says. “The thing is, you’ve got an adult, you’ve got a 20-year-old,” she tells “NewsNation Now.” “We’d be having a way different conversation if you had someone who was 15 or 16 years old. We’d be talking about potential culpability for failure to keep those guns in a safe and secure manner in violation of Florida law.”

In a statement sent Thursday evening, FSU President Richard McCullough said “our focus is on taking care of people. That means the victims and their families. It means students, faculty, and staff who were nearby and are now trying to make sense of what they experienced. And it means every person in our campus community who is feeling shaken or overwhelmed.”

JB Biunno spoke with Christopher Malave, a current student and former intern of NewsNation affiliate WFLA, about what transpired.

“I saw a horde of students running into the building, and I’m pretty sure I heard someone say active shooter,” Malave said. “After I got out of the Union, I took cover behind some bushes, kind of outside of the Union for a couple of minutes, and it was then when I heard several rounds of gunfire.

“I believe it was automatic gunshots because it seemed in pretty rapid succession.”

The student stated that he did not see any shooters, but heard the gunshots and witnessed people running near the building where the incident is believed to have taken place.

Malave said he never thought this would happen to him.

“I thank the Lord that I’m safe,” he said. “I was able to make it back to my car in one piece, just very minor cuts and stuff like that.”

NewsNation’s Libbey Dean asked President Trump if there were any changes he wanted to see regarding gun legislation in regard to the shooting.

Trump said he was a “big advocate of the Second Amendment” and that “the gun doesn’t do the shooting. The people do.”

Former Assistant FBI Director Chris Swecker tells NewsNation that an officer’s worst nightmare is their weapon going missing, let alone their own child using it to commit a crime.

Ryan Cedergren, a junior at FSU, said he was at the school’s student union building when he saw people running.

“Our immediate thought was, ‘This isn’t right, something is going on,” Cedergren said.

He sheltered in the building with others and said he understood within a minute that a shooting was occurring.

“You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does,” Cedergren said.

Another student, Christopher Malave, told NewsNation he had just finished lunch and was at the student union when people started flooding inside. Malave said he ran and hid behind some bushes when he heard gunfire.

“I started hearing several rounds of additional gunshots,” he said. “It was a horrific situation.”

The shooter’s motive is still unclear, but former U.S. Marshal Art Roderick thinks the location of the shooting, an area on campus where students congregate, suggests an intent to inflict mass damage.

“It’s a target where you can mix in with a crowd very easily, and you’ve got a lot of people that you can actually target to shoot,” Roderick, former assistant director for investigations with the U.S. Marshals, said on “NewsNation Now” on Thursday.

“That’s probably the motivation behind this particular individual,” Roderick continued.

Following a shooting at FSU, officials said there is no ongoing threat to the community.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and the alleged shooter is in custody.

Two people are dead and five injured following a shooting at FSU.

The shooter was also injured after refusing to obey commands from law enforcement.

Authorities said no law enforcement officials were shot.

Authorities said the weapon used in the shooting was the former service weapon of the alleged shooter’s mother.

When the department transitioned to new weapons, the deputy purchased her old gun as a personal weapon.

A website is being set up for students, staff and faculty to send any photos or videos that may have been captured during the shooting.

Authorities are seeking all information around the incident.

Authorities said the alleged shooter is Phoenix Ikner, the 20-year-old son of a Leon County Sheriff’s deputy.

He had access to his mother’s weapons, and one is believed to have been used in the crime.

The suspect was also on a youth advisory council for the sheriff’s department, and officials said it was not surprising that he had access to weapons.

He has invoked his right not to speak to law enforcement.

Authorities said there are multiple active crime scenes on the Tallahassee campus of Florida State University following a shooting.

An investigation is ongoing.

FSU students may return to their dorms but should remain indoors, authorities said during a press briefing.

Students are not being allowed back in the student area, which is an active crime scene.

Students are allowed to depart campus for the weekend.

Authorities said the shooter was a student at FSU and was transported to a hospital following the shooting.

Two people are dead and five are injured after a shooter opened fire at 11:30 a.m. local time at FSU.

The two dead are not students.

A Florida law enforcement source told NewsNation there was only one shooter involved and the shooter is in custody.

In an alert, FSU said the threat has been neutralized after a shooting on campus.

“Please avoid the Student Union, Bellamy, HCB Classroom Building, Rovetta A&B, Moore Auditorium, Shaw, Pepper, Hecht House and Carraway as they are still considered an active crime scene. Individuals are free to move about other areas of campus. Individuals who may have witnessed anything of value should call 850-891-4987,” the school said.

In an alert, FSU said students should continue to shelter in place following reports of an active shooter on campus.

Students who need assistance are being told to go to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and students, faculty and staff are being urged to call or text loved ones to let them know they are safe.

“The Student Union and the surrounding area is still considered an active crime scene. Individuals should avoid the area. Students should not return to the Student Union to retrieve personal property at this time.

Students may return to their residence halls but they should otherwise stay indoors on the main campus to allow first responders and university staff to do their jobs and respond to those needing assistance. Students may depart campus for the weekend. All classes have been canceled through Friday,” the school said.

One current FSU student who asked not to be identified said there is a large law enforcement presence on campus and students are relying on text messages and email for information.

“Currently, Tennessee Street is shut down for about a mile, it is the road right in front of the Union. Many students are still in lockdown in buildings on campus,” they said. “They have released some but not all. I have friends in the testing center who are still there.”

Joe, an FSU sophomore, told NewsNation he narrowly missed being in the area.

“I’ve been in my room all day. I just heard sirens,” he said. “I would’ve been in that area that got shot up but I overslept.”

Video footage shows the scene as police responded to a shooting on FSU’s Tallahassee campus.

NewsNation has confirmed that FBI agents from the Jacksonville, Florida, office are assisting local law enforcement in responding to a shooting on campus.

After a shooting on campus, the university has canceled three baseball and three softball games.

It’s not clear if away games for the school’s teams will be canceled or postponed.

A suspect has reportedly been taken into custody following a shooting at FSU, a Florida law enforcement source confirmed to NewsNation.

No details were available about the suspect. The campus is still being treated as an active scene.

Local and federal law enforcement agents are on scene following reports of an active shooter on FSU’s Tallahassee campus.

The campus is nearly 500 acres large and contains hundreds of buildings, which will need to be checked by law enforcement.