Crime
FSU Shooting Suspect Phoenix Ikner Previously Known as Christian Gunnar Eriksen Before 2020 Name Change
Newly surfaced court records provide insight into the early life of Phoenix Ikner, the 20-year-old accused in the mass shooting at Florida State University.
Ikner, who was formerly known as Christian Gunnar Eriksen, legally changed his name in 2020, according to law enforcement sources.
For clarity, he will be referred to as Phoenix Ikner throughout this report.
Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil had previously identified Ikner as the son of longtime sheriff’s deputy Jessica Ikner.
However, court documents clarify that Jessica Ikner is his stepmother. His biological mother is identified as Anne-Mari Eriksen.
Records describe a complex and often volatile family situation.
In 2015, Anne-Mari Eriksen was arrested and charged with kidnapping after violating a custody agreement and taking then-10-year-old Ikner to Norway without his father’s consent.
According to an arrest affidavit, Eriksen had told Ikner’s father that she was taking the child to South Florida, but instead fled the country.
The affidavit highlights that Ikner, who at the time had developmental delays and special needs, required consistent medical care, including medication for a growth hormone disorder and ADHD.
His father told authorities he feared those needs were not being met during Ikner’s time abroad.
The documents state that Eriksen failed to keep Ikner in school for scheduled evaluations, missed medical appointments, and neglected to administer prescribed medications while in Norway.
Eriksen was arrested upon her return to the United States on July 27, 2015, at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
She was booked into the Leon County Jail and later entered a no contest plea. On July 14, 2016, she was sentenced to 200 days in jail (with credit for 170 days served), followed by two years of community control and two additional years of probation.
Additional court records reveal that Eriksen later filed an unsuccessful civil lawsuit against Ikner’s father, stepmother Jessica Ikner, and two other relatives.
Ikner himself—then still legally named Christian Gunnar Eriksen—was also listed as a defendant at the age of 11.
In the lawsuit, Eriksen alleged that her son had suffered psychological and emotional abuse amid contentious family court proceedings.
She accused Jessica Ikner of writing “unwanted” letters and placing them in her son’s backpack, and also claimed she had struck the child.
Eriksen sought $80,000 in damages, stating that the amount would be deposited into her son’s college fund.
The case was dismissed seven months later by the judge, who issued the dismissal sua sponte, meaning on the court’s own accord and not at the request of either party.
This information comes in the aftermath of the deadly shooting on FSU’s campus.
Two men, both unaffiliated with the university, were killed and five others injured during the incident.
Ikner was identified as the shooter and was taken into custody after being shot by responding officers.
He remains hospitalized. Authorities have confirmed that the campus is now secure, though the crime scene remains active.
Florida State University has canceled all classes and events through Friday as the investigation continues.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.