Deputy Sheriff's Son Behind Florida State University Shooting; 2 Killed, 4 Injured

A shooting at Florida State University has left two people dead and four injured.

The suspect, identified as Phoenix Ikner, is believed to be a student at the university.

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A deputy sheriff's son has been identified behind the shooting at Florida State University on Thursday killing two and injuring four others, said the authorities. 

The motive behind the shooting is not yet known but the police believe that the son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy acted alone, reported Reuters. 

The suspect had access to his mother's handgun, which was once her service weapon, according to the authorities, who said that the gun was bought from the department and is now a personal firearm. 

"Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons that was found at the scene," Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil said at the press conference.

Shooter Identified, Shot At By Cops   

The suspect has been identified as Phoenix Ikner, 20, 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 in the shooting were not students and no detail was provided about the four other victims who were injured in the incident. 

The gunman was shot at by responding police officers after he failed to obey orders to surrender and was taken into custody, the authorities said. The four injured victims and the gunman were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds. 

The shooting took place at around 11:50 am local time on Thursday near the student union building on the FSU campus. Students and faculty were told to shelter in place as police responded. Over 42,000 students attend classes at the main campus. 

The authorities believe that the suspect had also brought a shotgun in addition to the handgun onto campus but said they were uncertain if that weapon was used in the shooting. 

Mass shootings have been daunting on US school campuses in recent years. The Thursday shooting incident was the second such incident on the FSU campus in 11 years. In 2014, a graduate opened fire early at the school's main library, injuring two students and an employee.