The Two Victims Killed In The FSU Shooting: New Details On Robert Morales And Tiru Chabba

As of December 10, 2025, the most recent and tragic mass shooting event to rock the Florida State University (FSU) campus occurred on April 17, 2025, leaving two people dead and six others wounded. This devastating incident, which took place near the student union, has brought renewed national attention to the issue of campus safety and has left the Tallahassee community mourning the loss of two beloved members: Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba. The immediate aftermath saw a wave of confusion due to a separate, older incident at Strozier Library, where no victims were killed. However, the April 2025 tragedy is the one that tragically claimed the lives of two individuals, both of whom were hard-working fathers and dedicated food service workers on the FSU campus. The suspect, a 20-year-old FSU student, remains in custody while the community searches for answers and a motive for the senseless violence.

The Two Lives Lost: Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba

The most critical question following any tragedy is "who died," and in the case of the April 17, 2025, Florida State University shooting, the victims were identified as Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba. Both men were essential, non-student members of the FSU community, working diligently in the food service sector on campus.

Robert Morales: The Dedicated FSU Employee

Robert Morales was an FSU employee who was killed during the attack. He was remembered by his colleagues and family as a dedicated worker and a father. The loss of a staff member who was not a student, but an integral part of the daily life on the Tallahassee campus, underscored how the tragedy impacted the entire FSU family, far beyond the student body.

Tiru Chabba: A Father and Food Service Worker

Tiru Chabba was the second fatality in the shooting. Like Morales, he was a father and a food service worker. His death, alongside Morales’, highlighted the vulnerability of service staff who are often the unsung heroes keeping university life running smoothly. The two men's shared roles as fathers and food service professionals became a tragic point of connection in the community’s collective grief.

The Attacker: Phoenix Ikner's Background and Unclear Motive

The individual identified by authorities as the alleged shooter is 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner.

Phoenix Ikner: Biography and Profile

• Name: Phoenix Ikner
• Age at Time of Incident: 20 years old
• Affiliation: Current Florida State University Student
• Incident Date: April 17, 2025
• Fatalities Caused: 2 (Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba)
• Injuries Caused: 6 others wounded
• Status: Shot by responders and was hospitalized; suspect is in custody.
• Motive: Currently unknown.
• Victim Connection: Police stated there was no known connection between Ikner and the victims.
• Early Life Details: Court documents revealed that Ikner had a complicated early life, including a custody battle between his parents in Tallahassee and a period where he was taken to Norway by his biological mother in 2015. He also changed his name in high school.

The Lack of a Clear Motive

One of the most unsettling details of the April 2025 shooting is the official report that there was no known connection between the shooter, Phoenix Ikner, and the two men he killed, Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba, or the six other individuals he wounded. Ikner, a current FSU student, was shot by responders during the incident and was taken to the hospital before being taken into custody. Investigators have been intensely searching for a motive, looking into Ikner's past, including details about a custody battle and a name change, to understand what led to the tragic outbreak of violence on the FSU campus.

FSU Shooting History: Clarifying the 2014 Strozier Library Incident

The search for "FSU shooting who died" often brings up details about an earlier, highly publicized event: the 2014 shooting at the Strozier Library. It is important to distinguish between these two separate tragedies to avoid confusion about the fatalities.

The 2014 Strozier Library Shooting

The 2014 incident occurred on November 20, 2014, at the university’s Strozier Library. [cite: 13 in previous search] The gunman in that case was a former FSU student named Myron May. [cite: 12 in previous search] * Who Died in 2014: The only person who died during the 2014 event was the shooter himself, Myron May, who was killed by the Florida State University Police Department (FSUPD) and Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) officers. [cite: 13 in previous search] * Victims: Three people were injured, but *no students or staff were killed* by the gunman. [cite: 15 in previous search] The injured included two students and a library employee, one of whom was a student named Ronny who was seriously wounded. [cite: 8, 12 in previous search] The key difference is that the 2014 event resulted in no victim fatalities, whereas the April 2025 shooting tragically claimed the lives of Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba.

The Aftermath and Community Response

The two FSU shootings, especially the most recent one in 2025, have prompted significant reflection on campus security measures and the mental health resources available to students. The loss of Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba has led to an outpouring of support for their families and a renewed call for violence prevention. The Florida State University community, including students, faculty, and staff, has rallied to mourn the fathers and food service workers who were killed. Memorials and fundraising efforts have been established to support the victims' families, ensuring that the legacy of Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba is one of community and remembrance, rather than just a statistic in a national tragedy. The university continues to work with law enforcement to understand the full scope of the April 2025 incident and to prevent future acts of violence.