A day after FSU shooting, Randy Fine slams Senate for failing to allow more guns on campus

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Less than 24 hours after a shooting that killed two and injured several others, U.S. Rep. Randy Fine said a lack of guns on campus may have contributed to the attack’s severity.

The Palm Bay Republican took to social media to criticize former colleagues in the Florida Senate, who rejected a campus carry bill weeks before the shooting where two died and six others were injured.

“There is no magic force field that keeps guns from coming onto our college campuses,” Fine posted on Facebook. “Less than one month ago, in my last bill presentation as a Florida Senator, I attempted to give adults the same right to protect themselves on campus as they have off.”

That presentation was to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, which made the rare move of killing a bill at the committee level after leadership allowed it to appear on the agenda. Fine presented the legislation (SB 814) as a Florida Senator days before his election to Congress in a Special Election.

“For the first and only time in 8.5 years in the Legislature, I failed,” Fine posted. “By a vote of 3-4, with two absent, the committee voted to keep universities ‘gun-free zones.’ An offensive name given what happened yesterday. The no vote included all three Democrats plus one so-called Republican.”

Sen. Ileana Garcia, a Miami Republican, cast the lone GOP vote against the bill and said she stands by the decision. In a post on X where she tagged President Donald Trump, Garcia said gun violence was more important than politics. She criticized Fine’s bill notably before he made his post on Facebook.

“I have zero regret. Proud to have voted against your moronic campus carry bill, that didn’t have a House companion,” Garcia wrote. “This decision wasn’t about partisan politics; it was rooted in common sense.”

Her post appeared to be prompted by a Breitbart article criticizing her vote.

Garcia said bringing the issue of campus carry into the tragedy at FSU was misguided. Authorities have taken Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old political science major, into custody in connection with the shooting. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office said a gun belonging to his mother, Sheriff’s Deputy Jessica Ikner, was found on campus.

Two were killed in the shooting and six others besides Ikner were injured, five of whom were shot. The sixth was hurt fleeing the attack.

“The incident at FSU was tragic, but the real issue lies not with the firearm itself, but with the factors that led to it,” Garcia posted. “The individual involved was the child of a deputy sheriff and had knowledge of weapon handling, yet chose to act recklessly. As more information comes to light, the facts will reveal the truth. Both the campus security and Tallahassee police performed admirably in response to the situation.”

Fine disagreed and suggested that armed civilians may have stopped the shooting sooner.

“I am incredibly grateful to the law enforcement who ran into the gunfire yesterday to subdue the gunman,” Fine posted. “But in the time that took, this murderer was able to shoot seven people, two of whom have died. Today, I wonder if one of those seven had been able to defend themselves, the outcome would have been different. In any event, I will continue praying for all.”

Garcia said the commentary proved Fine is a poor replacement for former U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, whose seat Fine now holds. She also said Fine likely felt angry that a Hispanic Republican sank his bill.

“Randy Fine is feckless and racist. Put that on the record!” Garcia posted. “Time will tell.”

But she said in her post that it was unlikely more guns would have resulted in fewer people being shot.

“Your suggestion that students should defend themselves by carrying firearms on campus, along with the idea that a bill lacking a House companion would have made any real difference, is misguided,” she posted.

Regardless, the legislation, even if passed and signed, would not have taken effect until July.