Trump’s statement after fatal FSU shooting sparks outrage
Another tragic school shooting has occurred in the U.S. At Florida State University, a gunman opened fire, killing two people and injuring six others.
Following the horrific event, President Donald Trump addressed the press, but his remarks sparked controversy.
On April 17, 2025, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner reportedly carried out the shooting. He is said to be the son of a police officer and allegedly used his mother’s former service weapon.
At a White House press conference, President Trump called the event “terrible” but emphasized his strong support for the Second Amendment, saying he has “protected it from the beginning.”
Regarding the shooting, Trump said, “The gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do.”
He also added, “I will tell you that it’s a shame I’m just hearing about it now, I know the area very well, I know the school very well. And we’ll have more to say about it later, we’ll see what happens.”
When asked to clarify what he meant by “see what happens,” Trump replied, “Only in terms of what happens as far as legislation’s concerned, this has been going on a long time.”
He firmly stated, “I have an obligation to protect the Second Amendment. I ran on the Second Amendment – on many other things – and I will always protect the Second Amendment.”
Many criticized Trump’s response. One user wrote, “Sorry about the dead people, but I love guns. Their ashes are not even cold yet. Completely disgraceful and unchristian.”
Another on X commented, “Trump’s response to the FSU shooting is callous. Deflecting with ‘guns don’t shoot, people do’ ignores the tragedy and the need for real solutions. His Second Amendment obsession drowns out victims’ voices.”
Florida State University school shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Jessica Ikner.
20-year-old suspect was also a “long-standing member” of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office’s Youth Advisory Council. pic.twitter.com/oVKnpe4RWW
— K-12 School Shooting Database (@K12ssdb) April 17, 2025
Another frustrated person commented, “This rarely happens in countries that don’t have guns. All of them have people.” Another angry user added, “The gun literally does the shooting. He is a moron.”
The suspected shooter was shot and taken to the hospital, where authorities reported he is being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and the names of those killed or injured have not yet been released.
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