In April 2025, Florida State University (FSU) experienced a tragic mass shooting on April 17. The incident resulted in two fatalities and six injuries. The victims who died were Robert Morales, a university dining coordinator, and Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old father and executive for food service vendor Aramark. The shooter, Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old FSU student and son of a sheriff's deputy, was shot and wounded by law enforcement during the attack and is currently hospitalized. The shooting took place near the student union, and the university issued an active shooter alert at around noon that day. Law enforcement responded swiftly, preventing further casualties, and the campus remains an active crime scene under investigation
. Despite this tragedy, FSU prepared to hold its largest commencement ceremony in history for the class of 2025, with 8,926 degrees expected to be awarded. The graduation ceremonies, held May 2-3 at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, included moments of silence to honor the victims and featured a strong security presence. The community has shown resilience and solidarity in the wake of the shooting, with vigils and memorials taking place on campus
. In summary, the key event at Florida State University recently was the tragic shooting on April 17, 2025, which deeply affected the campus community but did not halt the university’s historic graduation celebrations shortly thereafter.
