Two FSU Shooting Victims, Both Fathers, Have Been Identified — Here’s What We Know

On April 17, 2025, a shooting took place at Florida State University in Tallahassee. Two men were killed in the attack before the gunman was taken into custody. The victims have been identified as Robert Morales of Miami-Dade County and Tiru Chabba of Greenville, South Carolina.

Morales was a South Florida native and a well-known figure in Tallahassee’s food community. He was a Florida State University graduate and a longtime employee. He served as the university’s dining coordinator for nearly ten years.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he has also held the role of CEO at Black Bean Food Group since 2004. He previously worked as an assistant football coach at Leon High School, just a mile from campus. Morales helped found Gordos Cuban Cuisine, a well-known restaurant in Tallahassee.

He often prepared Cuban meals and pastries for university staff and once worked closely with chefs to provide allergen-safe meals for a student with severe dietary restrictions.

Florida State University Vice President Kyle Clark said at a campus vigil, “He made our dining experience feel like home for every student, especially those from South Florida.” Clark added, “He didn’t just do the job. He lived the job.”

On the day of the shooting, Morales had planned to meet his longtime friend Carlos Cruz and Cruz’s son at the student union, something they did regularly on Thursdays. However, Cruz’s son stayed in his dorm that day instead.

Cruz, who has known Morales and his family for over 30 years, praised Morales’s passion for Cuban cuisine and his ability to grow Gordos into a thriving enterprise. “That passion for cuisine and Cuban food was just taken to the next level, because now here he is helping to run a multi, multi, multi million dollar operation and deciding who and what gets into the university,” Cruz said.

Celebrity chef Art Smith, who had worked with Morales, described him as “a lovely and joyful man. Full of joy and energy, very sweet.” His older brother, Ricardo Morales Jr., confirmed the tragedy on X. The post included throwback photos of Morales from his childhood.

In a later post, he shared more photos of his deceased brother. A GoFundMe page launched by friends and colleagues to support Morales’ family states that he leaves behind his wife, Betty Morales, and their daughter. As of April 19, more than $60,000 has been raised toward the $90,000 goal.

The second victim, Tiru Chabba, was 45 years old and a father of two. He lived in Greenville, South Carolina, and worked as a regional vice president for Aramark Collegiate Hospitality. He had been with Aramark for more than two decades and held several roles across operations and finance.

On the day of the shooting, Chabba was on campus in his capacity as a vendor employee. In a statement issued to People magazine, an Aramark spokesperson said, “We are heartbroken to confirm that an Aramark employee was among those killed at FSU yesterday in that senseless act of violence. We are absolutely shaken by the news.”

Attorneys representing Chabba’s family confirmed his identity and said they intend to hold accountable anyone responsible for the shooting.

At Friday’s vigil, Clark closed his remarks with a tribute to both men. He stated, “These two individuals were more than just names. They were deeply loved, and their absences leave a void that cannot be filled.”

The shooting was the sixth mass shooting in Florida this year and the 81st in the United States in 2025. The investigation into the attack is ongoing. After the deadly campus shooting rattled students, attention turned to the suspect’s deep ties to law enforcement — and how he accessed a deputy’s weapon.

A shooting at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday, April 17, left two people dead and six others injured. According to the Miami Herald, the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a student at the university, is the son of a Leon County Sheriff’s deputy and had longstanding ties to the agency.

The authorities revealed that Ikner was no stranger to law enforcement. Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil confirmed that he had been actively involved in the agency’s Youth Advisory Council and had participated in other law enforcement 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,” said McNeil during a press conference.

His mother, Jessica Ikner, is a deputy assigned to protect a local public school and is well-known within the department. Authorities said the suspect used a handgun that once belonged to his mother. It was her former service weapon, which she had legally bought for personal use.

The violence unfolded shortly after noon near the university’s Student Union. Officers responded rapidly, shooting and detaining Ikner before transporting him to the hospital. He remains hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell.

FSU Police Chief Jason Trumbower later confirmed that Ikner was also carrying a shotgun, although authorities do not believe it was used. “We have not confirmed anyone was shot with a shotgun, but that could change,” Trumbower stated.

Two adult men were killed in the attack. Five others were wounded by gunfire, and a sixth person was injured while trying to flee, police said. The victims’ names have not been released. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare later confirmed that it had received six patients — one in critical condition and the remaining five in serious condition.

The attack played out in front of students nearby. Among them was McKenzie Heeter, who told CNN she had just left the Student Union when she noticed an orange Hummer parked along a service road. Standing beside the vehicle was a man holding what appeared to be a large firearm.

Heeter said he fired a shot in her general direction, where others were also walking, then retrieved a handgun from the vehicle and turned toward the building.

“She was just walking. And he just turned around and shot her,” Heeter recalled, referring to a woman wearing purple scrubs who was struck in the back. Heeter ran nearly a mile to her apartment, describing 20 seconds of continuous gunfire as she fled.

She later said the shooter appeared calm and expressionless, though he wore a scowl. “I really just want to find out about the woman in the purple scrubs and if she is OK,” she said.

As chaos spread across campus, law enforcement moved swiftly to secure the scene. The campus was placed on lockdown as armed officers swept buildings and evacuated students with their hands raised — a precaution to ensure safety.

Videos captured by ABC journalist Forrest Saunders showed the disarray left behind. Laptops, shoes, backpacks, and half-eaten meals lay scattered across the lawn, left behind in the rush to escape.

Emergency responders provided medical aid at the scene, loading several victims into ambulances. In one video, a law enforcement officer is seen receiving a pair of handcuffs before securing them on a person lying on a stretcher inside an ambulance.

As the community began to process the shock, another video emerged on X that stirred additional outrage. The footage showed a person sipping Starbucks while walking past an injured individual on the ground, appearing to record the moment on a phone.

Though the identity of the individual remains unknown, the clip quickly spread and drew intense backlash across social media. “How do you walk by and not try to help?” wrote one person. Another added, “You spelled Americana wrong.” A third declared, “this [sic] heartless person needs to be outed and publicly shamed. #fsustarbucks #fsu.”

A X commenter remarked, “Sending love to FSU. Horrible situation. Just saw a video of some students walking past a wounded person while drinking their Starbucks, taking a video. Unreal how you can take a video of someone wounded and walk past rather than at least checking if they’re okay.”

Another stated, “There’s a 6-second video clip purportedly of a person with a Starbuck’s [sic] in hand walking past wounded on the campus of Florida State University. WHERE IS YOUR HUMANITY? These victims need comfort more than you need clicks.”

However, not everyone agreed with the outrage. “The video posted is unrelated to the shooting today. As an alum I’m disgusted that people are using this tragedy to sew [sic] division in our country,” noted another person on X.

While discussion continued online, authorities continued working to piece together the events behind the shooting. As of Friday, they have not determined a motive for the attack. The investigation remains active.

Just two days earlier, another school shooting took place — this time at a high school in Dallas.

The shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School (WHHS) in Dallas on Tuesday afternoon, April 15, left four people hospitalized. Police responded shortly after 1 p.m. to reports of gunfire at the campus on Langdon Road.

According to CBS News Texas, authorities confirmed by 2:20 p.m. that the school was secure and there was no ongoing threat.

The Dallas Fire Department said three of the four victims were shot, with injuries considered non-life-threatening. Three of the victims are also between 15 and 18 years old; the fourth person’s age is unconfirmed.

All were taken to nearby hospitals, including Baylor Scott & White Health, Parkland, and Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

At the time of the shooting, law enforcement sources reportedly said that the suspect, identified as a student, remained at large. Additionally, authorities had not released further identifying details. However, new details about the suspect have since emerged.

The suspect has recently been identified as 17-year-old Tracy Denard Haynes Jr. According to reports, Haynes Jr. surrendered to authorities at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center around 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening (April 15). He is now in custody at the Dallas County Jail and faces four charges of aggravated assault in a mass shooting, which is a first-degree felony.

According to an affidavit from a special agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Haynes Jr. is accused of intentionally or recklessly attempting to inflict serious bodily harm or death upon multiple students at WHHS.

The report also indicates that during the incident, Haynes Jr. used a deadly weapon, committing “the assault as part of a mass shooting, where Haynes Jr. discharged a firearm to cause serious bodily injury or death, or to attempt to cause serious bodily injury or death, to four or more persons: during the same criminal transaction.”

The charges fall under Texas Penal Code 22.02(b)(4), which addresses aggravated assault in the context of mass shootings.

Emergency responders, including Dallas police, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), arrived at the school. Aerial images showed students being evacuated toward Eagle Stadium for reunification with their families. Roughly 900 students were on campus at the time.

Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde later announced the cancellation of classes for the remainder of the week. She added that mental health professionals would be available to support students and staff during the recovery process.

Authorities are examining how the firearm made it onto campus despite security protocols. Dallas Independent School District (ISD) Assistant Chief of Police Christina Smith said the firearm was not brought in during the school’s “regular intake time,” and emphasized that “it was not a failure” of school staff, protocols, or the detection machinery in place.

Offering a possible explanation, Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins told Working for All Alike (WFAA) that “There was a [sic] outside student who probably opened the door to let someone in.”

Atkins’ suggestion proved to be correct, as reports confirm an arrest affidavit stipulates that an unidentified student let Haynes Jr. into the school through an “unsecured door” around 1 p.m. Additionally, new surveillance video shows the exact moment Haynes Jr. opened fire.

“The affidavit says Haynes struck multiple students, adding, he approached one student and appeared to take a point-blank shot,” divulges a reporter contextualizing what happened.

In the aftermath of the shooting, state leaders have spoken out about the incident. Governor Greg Abbott released a statement offering support to the school district and law enforcement.

He said, “Our hearts go out to the victims of this senseless act of violence at Wilmer-Hutchins High School,” and pledged resources to help locate the suspect.

While officials shared updates with the public, students who were inside the school spoke out about what they experienced. An 18-year-old female student told CBS News Texas she was inside a classroom beside the hallway when the shots rang out. “We heard all the gunshots… like seven,” she said.

After being told they could leave the classroom, she saw “a lot of blood on the floor.” Reflecting on the incident, she said it wasn’t the first time a shooting had occurred at the school and pointed to ongoing security concerns.

According to her, it is not uncommon for students to bring firearms onto campus, and some have shared images of weapons on school grounds via social media.

Another male student, speaking to ABC News, said the group was talking when the first shots were fired. “We were still standing there confused, and then we heard more,” the student added. After seeing students run and hearing screams, they returned to the band room to take cover.

A third female student, interviewed by ABC News, said someone in the class saw a bullet hit their door window.

“That’s when my heart really sunk,” the student said. This student also questioned how a firearm could enter the school and criticized the lack of enforcement, “I feel like the security… they weren’t really like doing their job at the moment.”

Aldo, a high school senior, told WFAA he knew one of the students who was shot and helped him afterward. He said the student had been running behind him in the cafeteria. “He was basically asking for help. He was like, ‘Hey, I just — something hit me or something,’ and he just said, ‘Take off my boot so I can see it,'” Aldo recalled.

Aldo discovered that the student had a “big gash or wound on his leg” that made it difficult to move, and eventually, he lost feeling in it. He described the moment as one that required instinctive action, and he now feels calmer knowing his loved ones are safe.

The latest shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School follows an incident in April 2024, when a student brought a handgun onto campus and shot another student inside a classroom. According to Fox News, both individuals were 17 years old and knew each other.

Although the Dallas ISD campus was equipped with metal detectors, the weapon still made it inside. At the time, Elizalde said a teacher’s swift response prevented further harm.

“He was able to direct the student away from the campus so that he could take care of, first, the injured student and, second, to make sure that the alleged suspect did not enter into the rest of the school building,” Elizalde said.

The suspect was apprehended near the stadium, and the weapon was retrieved. The injured student was expected to recover. In the aftermath of that incident, parents and students raised ongoing concerns about security lapses.

Angelika Partida, a tenth-grader, said school staff often don’t thoroughly inspect backpacks. As she bent down to unzip her own bag, she mimicked the quick motion of how staff typically check it. “They just open our backpack like this. They do like this, and they don’t check them all the way through,” she explained.

District officials said they were reviewing surveillance footage and school procedures to determine how weapons were brought in.