FSU shooting victim played dead as gunman reloaded: Report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A graduate student that was injured in the Florida State University (FSU) shooting is recounting the distressing moments when she was shot on campus and then forced to play dead as the gunman reloaded.

Madison Askins, 23, is one of the six people that were injured during the shooting on Thursday near the school's Student Union. Two others were killed during the shooting.

Although the six people injured are expected to make a full recovery, the deadly shooting has left a forever impact on the students, faculty, school and overall community.

'If I was moving, he would've shot me again'

What they're saying:

Askins told ABC News she was walking with a friend on campus when she first heard the gunshots.

She and her friend took off running, but Askins fell. Although her friend tried to help her up, Askins told ABC she was shot in her buttocks, and her friend ran to safety.

As Askins lay wounded, she told ABC she remained calm and thought about what her parents told her to do during active shooter drills: play dead.

"I released all the muscles in my body, closed my eyes and held my breath," she told ABC. "And I would take short breaths in between when I needed to. … At one point, I did think (the gunman) had walked away, so I was going to shift over to grab my phone to share my last 'I love you's' with my family."

That's when she said she heard the gunman approach and reload his weapon.

"I know for certain if I was moving he would've shot me again," she said.

Eventually, the gunman left, and Askins said she stayed where she was until an officer came to her rescue.

Askins said she'll likely remain in the hospital for several more days. She still has the bullet lodged in her vertebrae and will have it removed in a later surgery, she said.

Askins said this won't slow her down in finishing her studies and pursuing her dreams.

"I'm not gonna let it tear me down," she added. "No, he doesn’t get that."

Gunman opens fire on FSU campus

The backstory:

Two people were killed, and six others were hurt, in the Thursday shooting, which began around noon near the Student Union, officials said. The alleged suspect was also shot by police after he refused their commands.

2 killed, 6 injured in FSU shooting

Police said two people were killed in a shooting Thursday morning on the campus of Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida. Six people have been taken to the hospital, including the alleged gunman. Police said the alleged gunman has been identified and is believed to be a current FSU student.

Timeline:

The Tallahassee Police Department said the shooting was over in less than five minutes.

Here's a look at the official timeline released by the police:

11 a.m.: Suspect, Phoenix Ikner, arrives at an FSU parking garage. He stays there for about an hour, moving in and out of his vehicle.
11:51 a.m.: Ikner leaves the parking garage.
11:56 a.m. & 11:57 a.m.: First shot is fired. Ikner walks in and out of buildings and green spaces, firing a handgun.
11:58 a.m.: Multiple 911 calls report a man shooting on campus.
Noon: Ikner is shot by law enforcement and taken into custody.

FSU issued its first emergency alert about a reported active shooter near the Student Union at 12:02 p.m., according to the timestamp on X.

Around 3 p.m., police said the campus had been secured and officers were continuing to clear each room.

At 4:30 p.m., officials held a press conference and confirmed the initial details about the shooting, including causalities, injuries and the suspect's identity.

FSU shooting update: Full press conference

Officials hosted a press conference on Thursday afternoon to give updates following the Florida State University (FSU) shooting. Deputies said two people were killed and six others hurt and taken to the hospital during the shooting. Police said the alleged gunman has been identified and is believed to be a current FSU student, as well as the son of a local sheriff's office deputy.

2 killed, 6 hurt in FSU shooting

What we know:

As of Friday, only one of the two people killed has been identified by officials: Robert Morales, who was an FSU dining coordinator and restaurant owner. The school announced Morales' death at the vigil hosted on Friday afternoon.

Police have not yet released the names of those killed or hurt. However, the family of Morales has shared memorials online, and FSU President Richard D. McCullough confirmed the name of the man killed at the school's vigil on Friday.

McCullough said Morales was a "dedicated colleague and kind person."

FSU Senior Vice President Kyle Clark also spoke about Morales at the vigil. He said the school would not be identifying the second person killed in the shooting, as they are respecting the family's wishes.

"Their lives mattered, and they always will," he said. "Robert Morales was someone on my team that I knew and cared for very deeply.

FSU shooting victim remembered: Robert Morales

Florida State Universtiy Senior Vice President Kyle Clark remembered his colleague, Robert Morales, one of two people killed in a shooting at FSU. "Robert was passionate about many things: his family, Florida State University, the Miami Dolphins, and great food," he said. Robert worked alongside the chefs and employees at several of the eateries on campus, he said. "He didn't just do the job; he lived the job."

Who is Phoenix Ikner? What we know about FSU shooting suspect

Although there were some rumors circulating about the potential of two gunmen, officials said they have no evidence of multiple gunmen. They believe the sole shooter was Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old student at FSU and the son of a Leon County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) school resource deputy. He was also a member of the LCSO Youth Advisory Council.

Officials said Ikner was armed with a handgun and had a shotgun with him, though it is not clear if he shot anyone with the shotgun. A handgun was recovered at the scene of the shooting, officials said.

On Friday, new reports came out detailing a custody fight reportedly between Ikner's biological mom and dad several years earlier.

Ikner declined to talk with law enforcement after he was taken into custody on Thursday, invoking his fifth amendment right.

FSU shooting suspect allegedly kidnapped by mom as kid

Phoenix Ikner, the 20-year-old suspect accused of killing 2 people and hurting 6 others in a shooting at Florida State University, was caught in a custody issue between his biological mother and father years ago. According to court records, Ikner's mom was accused of kidnapping him by violating a custody order and taking him to Norway. He was 11 at the time, records show. Months later, the boy's mom filed a lawsuit alleging slander against the boy's father and stepmom, records show.

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