Phoenix Ikner, Florida State University (FSU) shooting suspect was kicked out of political debate club following complaints he was a white supremacist who harbored radical ‘fascist’ views. The ouster may have led to the political science major seeking revenge…
In the aftermath of Thursday’s shooting at Florida State University (FSU) which saw 2 shot dead and six injured (including the alleged gunman), an attempt to uncover the alleged shooter’s political leanings and how that may have inspired the bloodshed has now come into play, including suggestions that Phoenix Ikner may have sought revenge for being kicked out of school political forums along with the alleged gunman being repudiated for his ‘right wing’ political views.
The president of Tallahassee State College‘s political discourse club said that Phoenix Ikner, 20, had been attending group meetings as recently as last semester, often sharing far-right views that made others uncomfortable leading to the the political science major’s ouster.
Phoenix Ikner was homophobic, racist, sexist & bully says ex classmate
Phoenix Ikner FSU shooter fascist views
So outspoken had Ikner, a political science major and registered Republican voter along with devout Christian and MAGA fan, had become, the 20 year eventually found himself being kicked out of the debate club.
Speaking to NBC News, Riley Pusins said that at meetings, the suspect advocated for President Donald Trump’s agenda and often promoted white supremacist values, even though the club was nonpartisan and it was about debate and political discourse.
Pusins said many people in the club had labeled the suspect a fascist.
The 20-year-old suspect went to meetings almost every Thursday, Pusins said, and after the meetings, he often made more ‘inappropriate’ comments.
He would ‘go up to the line’ in the meeting and then cross the line in comments made after the fact, Pusins said.
Here’s someone who knew the alleged FSU shooter, Phoenix Ikner, who said he was a part of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point chapter and that he was removed from a political club for espousing “white supremacist and far-right rhetoric.”
Why can’t you just accept it, MAGA? pic.twitter.com/oIFlQ3VXuZ
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) April 18, 2025
Political science major kicked out
Similarly Reid Seybold, who had also been president of the on campus political club complained about Ikner, who he labelled as outspoken and having far right radical views.
‘Basically our only role was no Nazis — colloquially speaking — and he espoused so much white supremacist rhetoric and far right rhetoric as well,’ Reid Seybold said according to NBC News.
‘He espoused so much white supremacist rhetoric and far-right rhetoric, as well,’ Seybold said.
Seybold said he had to kick Ikner out of the group due to his beliefs and rhetoric.
‘I don’t know why he would have done something like this,’ Seybold said. ‘I don’t know where it would have come from, but I’d sure like to find out.’
It remained unclear if Ikner’s ouster and repudiation of his political views along with public statements he made mocking anti-Trump protesters were the impetus for the 20 year old political science major to ‘seek revenge’ against fellow students who he may have considered as ‘woke and liberal.’
BREAKING: Former classmate of the FSU shooter, Phoenix Ikner recalls his demeanor and strong political views: pic.twitter.com/IlEhtR6cUM
— Missy Cucumber (@MissyCucumber) April 18, 2025
Florida’s climate of political divide
It bears noting, that Florida has been particularly staunch about removing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) in its teaching curriculum.
On May 15, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into effect SB 266, which prohibits Florida universities from continuing most of their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. A program that the incoming Trump administration has adopted among other controversial policies, further dividing political right and left factions.
Nevertheless not everyone had a negative opinion of Ikner.
Speaking to NBC News, Nicholas Lobo, 19, a FSU student who knew Ikner from a political discourse group at Tallahassee State College last semester said he was surprised to find out that Ikner was the suspect in Thursday’s shooting at FSU.
‘I was a bit shocked,’ said Lobo, 19, who attended TSC last semester before transferring to FSU, which he now attends.
‘I was driving when I saw someone message me and his name, and, like, I remembered it,’ Lobo said.
Lobo said he didn’t know the suspect well, just from the discourse group. He said the 20-year-old wasn’t a radical but tended to take more conservative positions and views.
‘He was pretty normal; he was nice,’ Lobo said.
In latest updates, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell on Thursday night, said Ikner remained in the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
All six patients wounded in the shooting are in fair condition, according to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The hospital said earlier that one of those wounded was in critical condition.
