Happy Good Friday, my friends. What a special day, mixed with solemnity and also a feeling of anticipation as Sunday draws near. I’m not sure what traditions your church has, but our family will be attending a noon service of the Stations of the Cross. It’s such a special service with a silent ending as we all stroll to our cars and leave, knowing we are just about a day and a half away from rejoicing together.
I really do hope you’re able to be with loved ones this weekend and feast together. Christmas typically gets all the decorations and attention, but Easter truly is the most wonderful of all holidays. It’s for this day that Jesus Christ was born!
And now, in a sharp pivot, let’s jump into the news headlines…
FSU Shooting Leaves Two Dead and Six Injured, Suspect in Custody Amid Campus Chaos
Details: On April 17, 2025, a shooting at Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus near the Student Union left two dead, six injured, and one suspect in custody, per Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), reported by ABC News and NPR. The incident, reported at 12:01 PM EDT, prompted an FSU Alert for an “active shooter,” urging students to shelter in place, per The New York Times. A suspect, described by witnesses as a college-aged male with a handgun, was shot and taken into custody, per Florida state Sen. Jason Pizzo’s X post, though police continued searching for additional shooters, per CNN. Students reported hearing 15–20 gunshots, with hundreds fleeing the Student Union, some hiding in a bowling alley or nearby church, per AP News and WCTV. Junior Joshua Sirmans described police escorting students from the main library with their hands raised, per The Washington Post. TMH confirmed six patients, but the injury count may rise, per Reuters. Governor Ron DeSantis and President Trump, briefed during a meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, expressed support, with Attorney General Pam Bondi noting FBI presence, per Fox News. Classes and events were canceled through the weekend, per FSU Alert.
Why It Matters: The shooting, at a campus with 44,300 students, reignites debates over gun violence and campus safety, especially after a 2014 FSU library shooting injured three, per AP News. It underscores the unpredictability of active shooter incidents, which often end before police arrive, per FSU’s Emergency Management guidelines. The incident’s proximity to Florida’s Capitol heightens public concern, with local reports likening the scene to a “war zone,” per Fox 35 Orlando. Ongoing investigations into the suspect’s motives and potential accomplices are happening.
Who was the shooter? The shooter was identified as Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old FSU student and the stepson of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy.
Puerto Rico Blackout Hits Entire Island, Raises Infrastructure Fears
Details: A power blackout struck all of Puerto Rico Wednesday night, ongoing into Thursday, exposing aging grid vulnerabilities, per AP News. Governor Pedro Pierluisi demanded federal aid.
Why It Matters: Highlights infrastructure neglect in U.S. territories, impacting 3.2 million residents and tourism, per NPR.
Political Implications: Democrats push for infrastructure funding, Republicans may resist spending.
Meloni Meets Trump to Ease EU Tariff Tensions
Details: Italian PM Giorgia Meloni met Trump at the White House on Thursday to negotiate EU exemptions from U.S. tariffs, representing the EU, per NPR. No deal was announced.
Why It Matters: The meeting tests EU-U.S. trade relations, with tariffs threatening global markets, per The Hindu.
Political Implications: Republicans see Meloni as a conservative ally, Democrats warn of trade war risks, impacting 2026 global policy debates.
Stem-Cell Trials Offer Hope for Parkinson’s Treatment
Details: Two studies reported Thursday that stem-cell treatments show promise for Parkinson’s, with brain implants improving symptoms, per NPR.
Why It Matters: Advances could transform care for 1 million U.S. Parkinson’s patients, boosting biotech investment, per STAT.
Political Implications: Bipartisan support for medical research likely, but Democrats may push broader healthcare funding, clashing with GOP cuts.
What is happening here?
You might have seen the pictures, but in case you didn’t hear…
Maryland Sen. Van Hollen Meets Deported Garcia in El Salvador
Details: Yesterday, Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen met Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported to El Salvador in March, after being denied access to him twice by Salvadoran authorities, per POLITICO and NPR. The meeting, held at a San Salvador hotel rather than the notorious CECOT prison where Garcia was held, was arranged unexpectedly, with photos posted by both Van Hollen and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on X, per The New York Times. Van Hollen, who traveled to El Salvador to check Garcia’s welfare and push for his release, called Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, to relay his “message of love,” per CNN. Bukele posted that Garcia was “sipping margaritas” in a “tropical paradise,” and insisted he would remain in custody despite a U.S. Supreme Court order to facilitate his return, per The Guardian. The Trump administration alleges Garcia is an MS-13 gang member. If you need more details and context around this discussion, Meseidy and I did an entire episode on it yesterday.
But I’m not alone in thinking this is….very odd, right?
Alright friends, that’s your Dawn Dispatch for April 18th. I hope you all have a wonderful day and a weekend filled with joy and hope. I’ll see you back here next week!
