Trial date for suspect in Florida State mass shooting has been postponed until next year
An impromptu memorial of flowers and other items laid near the center of the Florida State campus in sight of the Student Union building, Tallahassee, Fla., April 17, 2025. Credit: AP/Gary McCullough
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The trial of the Florida State University student accused of killing two people and wounding six others in a mass shooting on campus in April has been postponed until next year.
Phoenix Ikner, 21, faces two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting that terrorized the campus in Florida's capital city.
Ikner's trial had been set to start the week of Nov. 3. On Wednesday, 2nd Judicial Circuit Judge Lance Neff rescheduled the proceedings to begin March 30, 2026, after the court-appointed public defender assigned to Ikner reported a conflict of interest that would prevent his office from continuing to work on the case.
Neff has since assigned new attorneys to represent Ikner, who has pleaded not guilty.
Ikner is the stepson of a local sheriff’s deputy, and investigators say he used his stepmother’s former service weapon to carry out the shooting.
Prosecutors in the case intend to seek the death penalty.
Sarra Sounds Off, Season 3, Ep. 6: Top football teams in action and soccer playoffs roundup Gregg Sarra sounds off on Farmingdale vs. Massapequa and the battle between Longwood and Floyd, plus Michael Sicoli recaps some of the playoff soccer games, an update on the high school fantasy football standings and the plays of the week.
Sarra Sounds Off, Season 3, Ep. 6: Top football teams in action and soccer playoffs roundup Gregg Sarra sounds off on Farmingdale vs. Massapequa and the battle between Longwood and Floyd, plus Michael Sicoli recaps some of the playoff soccer games, an update on the high school fantasy football standings and the plays of the week.
