Following a deadly shooting on a university campus in Tallahassee, Florida, the U.S. president appeared somber as he issued a response from the White House.
President Donald Trump delivered a brief statement from the Oval Office on Friday in response to the shooting at Florida State University (FSU), which occurred on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
US President Donald Trump is in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
“It’s a horrible thing. Horrible that things like this take place,” Trump said. He added that he had been “fully briefed” on the situation and described the tragedy as “a shame.”
According to the Miami Herald, the shooting left two people dead and six others injured. The suspect, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner — an FSU student and the son of a Leon County Sheriff’s deputy — used a handgun that had once belonged to his mother, which she had legally purchased for personal use.
Ikner was shot by responding officers and taken into custody.
The attack occurred around noon on Thursday near the university’s student union. Police later confirmed that the two people killed were not enrolled at FSU. The six others who were wounded were taken to the hospital. A motive has not yet been identified.
Police gather behind caution tape as the investigation unfolds on FSU’s main campus after a deadly shooting | Source: Getty Images
While investigators continue to piece together what led to the attack, Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil said the department knew the suspect personally. Ikner had been involved in the sheriff’s Youth Advisory Council and had participated in several of the agency’s training programs.
“He has been steep in the Leon County Sheriff’s family, engaged in a number of training programs that we have … so it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons,” McNeil said during a press briefing.
The shooting caused panic on campus, triggering a full lockdown. Among them was sophomore Paula Maldonado, who recounted the chaos to ABC News. She said that once the active threat alarm sounded, her class immediately turned off the lights and used desks to barricade the door.
Her classmates crouched together at the front of the room, whispering instructions and offering quiet comfort to one another. Some began to cry, while others gave safety tips — one student advised her to hold her backpack in front of her body as protection.
“A cop came inside and I thought it was the shooter, so it was very scary,” Maldonado recalled. After a few tense minutes, officers returned and instructed the students to exit the classroom with their hands raised.
In the aftermath, FSU President Richard McCullough addressed the university community, calling the incident a “tragic and senseless act of violence at the heart of our campus.” He said the university’s immediate focus was on supporting victims, their families, and the broader community.
“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,” McCullough said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responded publicly Thursday evening, posting a video on X in which he and his wife, Casey, offered condolences and support. “We’re mourning the two individuals who lost their lives in this tragic attack, and we wish well those who are currently recovering in the hospital,” he added.
DeSantis emphasized accountability, “This killer must and will be brought to justice to the fullest extent of the law.” He also praised the quick response from law enforcement officers, “They ran towards the danger, they stopped this killer from inflicting more harm, and there is no question that they saved lives.”
According to an update from FSU Alerts, the families of the victims have been notified. The university also announced that students who became separated from their belongings during the lockdown will be able to retrieve them in the coming days.
Trump’s remarks prompted a flood of responses online. One netizen commented, “Such deep and wise words from our profound leader.” Others were more critical. “I’m surprised they were able to pin him down for a comment between rounds of golf 
,” one wrote.
Another user stated, “He doesn’t know the words he never had sympathy for anyone or empathy for anyone. He only has sympathy and empathy for himself.” One post read, “The recent shooting is truly heartbreaking, and it’s important that we don’t overlook its impact. My thoughts and deepest condolences go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.”
FSU students gather for a vigil near the student center following the April 17 shooting | Source: Getty Images
More reactions followed. A separate commenter argued, “His lack and compassion is deafening,” while another urged, “Trump try using your big boy words.” One sarcastically added, “So articulate.”
Another asked bluntly, “1st grader talk?” while one noted, “This is the first time he has acknowledged a school shooting this year. I wonder what we don’t know yet.”
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Amid the online debate, Trump was asked by reporters whether he would consider tighter gun regulations in response to the shooting. He reiterated his position on the Second Amendment. “These things are terrible. But the gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do, phrases used probably too often,” he said.
He added, “As far as legislation is concerned, this has been going on for a long time. “I have an obligation to protect the Second Amendment. I ran on the Second Amendment, among many other things, and I will always protect the Second Amendment.”
He also remarked that he was familiar with the region, noting that he knew “the very area well” and had knowledge of both the university and the state of Florida.
As communities continue to grapple with campus violence, another school shooting — this time in Tennessee — has left yet another family mourning.
Josselin Corea Escalante, from a post dated January 23, 2025 | Source: X/MaddieNolanTV
The Metro Nashville Police Department has shared the identity of the 16-year-old girl who was killed at Antioch High School on January 22, 2025.
The victim who was fatally wounded at the cafeteria of Antioch High School has been identified as Josselin Corea Escalante. She was shot alongside two other students. One of the two is a male student who suffered a graze to the arm and he was treated and released from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Escalante’s dad, German Corea, is devasted by the loss of his daughter. “Every day I told her how much I loved her,” he said. Escalante was an older sister but still a daddy’s girl in his father’s eyes. Corea said his daughter played soccer and scored good grades. He noted that he never thought his loving and kind daughter would one day never make it home. “It’s not fair,” he mourned.
Maria Corea, Escalante’s aunt, is dumbfounded by her loss, noting that she was sent to school to get an education and a better future but her life has ended tragically. “Oh God. She was my girl. She was a very calm girl and well-behaved. She had good grades in school. She was a girl who loved her parents and all her family,” she shared.
Josselin Corea Escalante, from a post dated January 22, 2025 | Source: Facebook/NickBeresNC5
Escalante’s family has requested that the school enhance its security. They are not hopeful that things will change noting that every school shooting always has a similar story. Antioch High School hosted a vigil in honor of Escalante on the night of January 22.
The 17-year-old shooter was an active student at Antioch High School. He shot himself in the head and is deceased. Police have identified him as Solomon Henderson. The two school resource officers assigned to Antioch High School were located in a different part of the building when Henderson started shooting.
Upon hearing the shots, they swiftly rushed to the cafeteria, arriving just moments after Henderson had taken his own life. Authorities are now investigating concerning online writings and social media posts linked to Henderson.
They are also working with local, federal, and state agencies to determine the motive behind the gunfire in the school’s cafeteria. As investigations on the incident continue, so far the police have found no connection between the shooter and victims of the tragic incident. “It may be that they were struck by his random gunfire in the cafeteria,” the Metro Nashville Police Department said.
Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police Department has also spoken out, “On behalf of this entire police department, I extend our deep condolences to Antioch High students, parents, and staff. Our officers and counselors will work to be part of the healing process in the days and weeks ahead.”
Dr. Adrienne Battle, Metro Nashville Public Schools’ director has condoled with the students, parents, and the entire Antioch High School community. Battle announced that the school would be closed for the rest of the week so that students and staff could have time to grieve.
She wrote in a statement, “I want to thank the school staff who quickly and heroically followed emergency protocols, potentially preventing further harm, as well as the Metro Nashville Police Department and Nashville Fire Department for their swift and urgent response.”
Battle promised that she was committed to understanding how and why such a tragedy happened so as to prevent another occurrence in the future.
She added, “It’s important to remember that our schools have historically been safe places for learning, friendship, and growth. We cannot allow this tragedy to overshadow the positive experiences of our 80,000 students.”
Battle also noted that the students and staff will get all the help they need to process this tragedy, including but not limited to grief support. She urged students, staff, counselors, and the Nashville community to come together so they could navigate the days and weeks ahead as one.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.