Phoenix Iiker, the 20-year-old connected to the FSU campus incident, has been released from the hospital. He sustained injuries on April 17th during the event and reportedly had multiple surgeries. Upon release, his appearance is notably different, with his face described as badly disfigured. A new mug shot shows his face rearranged, with a grotesquely distended jaw. It appears he sustained a lead injection from law enforcement, possibly taking a hit to the face. It’s quite surprising he survived it.
Iiker was booked on various charges. We’ve learned he was taken to Lyon County Detention Center for booking before being transferred to Wakula County Detention Center. This transfer was reportedly because his stepmother is a deputy in Lyon County.
After weeks, charges have finally been filed. He is facing multiple charges, including two counts and seven counts of attempt. Bond was denied for Iiker in court on Tuesday. He was also ordered to have no contact with victims or witnesses.
A motive for the incident is still unknown, despite weeks passing. Many details remain unclear. This lack of information is particularly odd. Unlike some other public incidents, as far as we know, there was no manifesto, letter, or specific target. It seems very different from cases like Aubrey or Audrey Hail, where more information might have been available.
Court documents have recently shed some light on Iiker’s past. We know he had just transferred to FSU from Tallahassee State College and was enrolled as a political science major. Interestingly, he also spent time training with law enforcement and served on a sheriff’s advisory council in prior years. Documents also indicate Iiker was on medication for several issues, including a growth hormone disorder and ADHD. While college kids taking Adderall isn’t news, the combination of factors raises questions.
Other details from court records include that Iiker changed his name from Christian Gunnar Ericson to his current name in 2020. An FBI official reportedly indicated he is a registered Republican based on online public vote records. NBC News has apparently highlighted his political affiliation.
Speculation continues regarding potential factors behind the incident. Classmates reportedly said he was vocal about his “extremist political beliefs,” though the extent of this extremism is unclear. Some media outlets seem to imply his alleged far-right views could be a motive. However, we see no established motive here. We’ve also learned from court records that when he was 11, his biological mother reportedly took him to Norway in violation of a custody agreement, and court documents from that time complained of emotional and psychological harm to the child. This paints a picture of him possibly being a product of a broken home, a factor we see frequently in these types of incidents.
Our suspicion, though we are not doctors, is that factors like pharmaceuticals, specifically SSRIs, could be involved, leading to potential psychotic breaks. We also question how the media covers these events, potentially making individuals notorious.
The incident itself began after Iiker arrived on campus an hour beforehand, staying near a parking garage before walking out and firing near lunchtime. The two people who tragically passed away were Robert Morales, a university dining coordinator, and Tru Chaba, an executive for Aramar, a food service vendor. According to family and attorneys, there appears to be no connection between Iiker and the victims’ families. They likely were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Iiker allegedly armed himself with his stepmother’s service weapon and other items. His stepmother, who has been with the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years, requested personal leave and was reassigned to the property crimes unit following the incident.
The lack of readily available information feels very odd. It makes us ask a lot of questions, including whether there could be any kind of covering for this individual because his mother is a cop. It seems we’ve had a number of these incidents recently with absolutely no information whatsoever. While Occam’s Razor suggests sometimes there just aren’t manifestos or clear signs, the consistent lack of details in cases like this is striking.
FSU resumed classes four days after the incident. The school waived mandatory attendance policies, allowing students and instructors the option to attend remotely without grade penalty.
Iiker had his first court appearance this week. He was denied bond and will remain in detention. We’ll have to see if this case makes it to trial. We still know nothing substantial about why this happened.
