Police are identifying the suspect who used his car and a butcher knife to attack people at Ohio State on Monday morning as Abdul Razak Ali Artan, a student at the university.
Artan was shot dead by a university police officer after injuring nine people in the attack, Monica Moll, the public safety director at Ohio State, said in an afternoon news conference in Columbus.
A number of news outlets, including NBC and Fox News, cited law enforcement sources saying Artan is a refugee from Somalia. Asked during the news conference about Artan’s background and whether they believed it was an act of terrorism, the law enforcement officials would only say he was a student and the investigation is ongoing.
The incident occurred near Watts Hall, the home of the university’s Materials Science and Engineering Department.
The school initially warned its community of an “active shooter,” telling people on campus to “run” “hide” and “fight.” But on Monday afternoon, police said they do not believe Artan used a gun but rather a knife and his vehicle.
The school said in a statement a number of victims were being treated for “stab wounds, injury by motor vehicle and other injuries that are being evaluated.”
Moll identified the police officer who responded to the attack — shooting and killing Artan — as Officer Alan Horujko. She said Horujko has been an officer since January 2015.
The @OSUPolice confirm Officer Alan Horujko shot and killed the suspect, Abdul Razak Ali Artan, Monday morning. pic.twitter.com/6BuZ9GN1zY
— OSU Police (@OSUPOLICE) November 28, 2016
