A notable survival strategy by clever student highlighted in social media

Key Points

• It seems likely that Florida State University students used chewing gum to stick paper on classroom windows during a mass shooting on April 17, 2025, to block the shooter’s view and hide.
• Research suggests this was a quick-thinking solution when tape was unavailable, helping them stay safe during the incident.
• The evidence leans toward this tactic being effective, as multiple survivors, including student Jeffrey LaFray, reported using it.

The alleged killer was captured on video opening fire on the Florida campus.WPLG

Incident Overview

On April 17, 2025, a mass shooting occurred near the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee, resulting in two deaths and five injuries. The alleged shooter, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, was the stepson of a local deputy sheriff and used his stepmother’s former service weapon. During the chaos, students took immediate action to protect themselves.

Survival Tactics

Students, including Jeffrey LaFray, recalled that their teacher suggested covering the classroom windows with paper to prevent the shooter from seeing inside. Without tape, they improvised by chewing gum and using it as an adhesive to stick the paper to the windows. This creative approach helped conceal their presence, potentially saving lives. Another student, Madison Askins, survived by pretending to be dead after being shot in the buttocks, taking short breaths to avoid detection.

Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of Florida Students’ Survival Tactics During the Mass Shooting

This section provides a comprehensive examination of how Florida State University (FSU) students survived the mass shooting on April 17, 2025, with a particular focus on their use of chewing gum as a survival tactic. The analysis draws from multiple news reports published on April 18 and 19, 2025, ensuring a thorough understanding of the incident and its aftermath.

Incident Background

The mass shooting took place near the FSU campus, specifically around 12:20 pm ET near the Student Union, as reported by Times Now. The incident resulted in two fatalities and five injuries, with the alleged shooter, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, being shot by police and hospitalized. Ikner, identified as the stepson of a local deputy sheriff, allegedly used his stepmother’s former service weapon, according to NDTV. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but reports confirm the severity of the event, with campus police and local authorities responding swiftly.

Survival Tactics: Use of Chewing Gum

A notable survival strategy emerged from student accounts, particularly highlighted in interviews with Good Morning America, as cited across multiple sources. Jeffrey LaFray, an FSU student, described how, during the shooting, their teacher proposed covering the classroom windows with paper to block visibility from the shooter. However, the class lacked tape, leading to an improvised solution: students began chewing gum and used the chewed gum as an adhesive to stick the paper to the windows. This tactic is consistently reported in sources such as Hindustan Times, which quotes LaFray saying, “The teacher was asking if any of us had tape to tape up some paper. And no one had tape, and so some of us, we just got out our gum and started chewing so we could stick some paper to the windows.”

This quick-thinking approach was echoed in other reports, such as People.com, which noted, “one FSU student said he and others used chewed gum to stick paper to the windows of a room.” The Times of India also confirmed, “Student Jeffrey LaFray recounted using chewing gum to stick paper over windows for safety.” The consistency across these sources, published on April 18 and 19, 2025, suggests a high level of reliability in this account.

Effectiveness and Context

The use of chewing gum as an adhesive was a creative response to an immediate threat, leveraging available resources in a high-stress situation. While the exact effectiveness in preventing detection is difficult to quantify, survivor accounts indicate it contributed to their ability to hide. For instance, Fingerlakes1.com described it as a “creative tactic” that helped conceal students from the gunman, potentially reducing the risk of further targeting. The urgency of the situation, with gunshots ringing out, as LaFray recalled in The Indian Express, underscores the importance of such improvisation.

Additional Survival Strategies

While the focus is on the use of chewing gum, other survival tactics were also employed. Madison Askins, a 23-year-old graduate student, survived by playing dead after being shot in the buttocks, as detailed in NDTV. She told ABC News, “When I was shot in the buttocks from behind, I fell to the ground, kept my eyes shut, and played dead. I released all the muscles in my body, closed my eyes, and held my breath. And I would take short breaths in between when I needed to.” This strategy, combined with the window-covering tactic, illustrates the range of responses students adopted to survive.

Shooter and Incident Details

Phoenix Ikner, the alleged shooter, was identified across reports as a 20-year-old FSU student and the son of Jessica Ikner, a Leon County Sheriff’s deputy, as noted in Firstpost. He was shot by police during the incident and hospitalized, with his condition reported as unknown in some sources, such as dnyuz.com. The weapon used was reportedly his stepmother’s former service firearm, adding a layer of complexity to the investigation, as seen in Hindustan Times.

Comparative Analysis of Reports

To ensure accuracy, the following table summarizes key details from the sources, focusing on the chewing gum tactic and related information:

This table highlights the consistency in reporting the chewing gum tactic, with slight variations in casualty numbers (likely due to updates in reporting). The inclusion of Jeffrey LaFray’s quote in most sources adds credibility to the account.

Implications and Observations

The use of chewing gum as a survival tool underscores the importance of resourcefulness in crisis situations. It also reflects the rapid decision-making required in active shooter scenarios, where traditional materials like tape may be unavailable. The tactic’s success is anecdotal, based on survivor accounts, but its widespread reporting suggests it played a role in enhancing safety. The incident also highlights the broader issue of campus security and the need for preparedness, as discussed in related articles like Fingerlakes1.com, which noted community responses such as vigils.

In conclusion, the detailed accounts from multiple sources, published on April 18 and 19, 2025, confirm that FSU students used chewing gum to stick paper on windows as a critical survival strategy during the mass shooting. This, alongside other tactics like playing dead, contributed to their ability to evade harm in a highly volatile situation.

Key Citations

• How Florida Students Survived Mass Shooting Using Chewing Gum
• Pretending to be dead and using chewing gum: How Florida students survived mass shooting
• FSU Students Used Gum to Help Black Out Window During School Shooting, Students Speak Out
• How these Florida State University students used chewing gum to escape campus shooting
• How Florida University Students Used Chewing Gun To Stay Safe During Mass Shooting
• Students Used Chewing Gum to Survive Shooting
• Who Is Phoenix Ikner, The 20-Year-Old Behind Florida University Shooting
• How Florida State University students used chewing gum to hide during shooting
• Chewing gum and quick thinking: How FSU students evaded the shooter
• FSU student recalls frantically ‘chewing’ gum to help cover classroom windows as gunfire rang out during fatal shooting