2 months ago
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Members of the Florida State University assemblage volition instrumentality to the areas successful and astir the pupil national gathering connected Friday for the archetypal clip since Thursday's shooting.
They are being allowed determination to retrieve the idiosyncratic belongings they near down -- items abandoned successful the chaos erstwhile gunfire shattered the calm and sent students fleeing for their lives.
Investigators accidental the gunman killed 2 people, neither of them students, and injured six others who person yet to beryllium identified.
Two of the patients are expected to beryllium discharged connected Friday, according to a connection from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. Three others person improved and are successful bully condition. One suffered captious injuries but, connected Thursday evening, was upgraded with the remainder of the injured survivors to just condition.
The accused gunman, identified arsenic 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, who is simply a existent FSU pupil and the stepson of a section sheriff's deputy, was besides taken to the infirmary for non-life-threatening injuries aft instrumentality enforcement agents changeable him.
Investigators accidental the fishy utilized a handgun that was erstwhile his stepmother's work weapon. He was besides carrying a shotgun, investigators say.
Student recounts seeing gunman shooting
I've ne'er tally that accelerated successful my life
McKenzie Heeter, a 20-year-old junior, was conscionable feet distant from the gunman erstwhile the shooting began.
"I was leaving the national with nutrient successful my hand," Heeter recalled. "I noticed [an orangish conveyance that looked similar a Hummer]. Then I saw him [wearing a matching orangish shirt], waving astir a bigger firearm and past helium pulled retired the handgun and changeable that woman. That's erstwhile I conscionable wholly ran."
Heeter describes sprinting crossed field successful sheer panic.
"I did a four-minute mile successful sandals. I've ne'er tally that accelerated successful my life," she said. "I felt similar I person got to permission oregon other it could beryllium maine next."
While she says the full day feels surreal, 1 infinitesimal replays vividly successful her caput -- the horrific infinitesimal she saw the fishy sprout a pistillate successful purple scrubs from behind.
"Her backmost was to him. She was conscionable walking. I don't adjacent deliberation she registered what happened. That's what I conscionable support reasoning about," she said.
In the chaos, Heeter's archetypal telephone was to her mom.
MORE | Alleged Florida State University gunman is lad of section sheriff's deputy, constabulary say
"She's my champion friend. I conscionable wanted her to cognize I was okay," she said.
As the full field continues to process the trauma, Heeter tells ABC News that her consciousness of information has been shattered.
"The astir heartbreaking portion is that everybody feels unsafe now. Someone conscionable came and took that from us," she said.
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