Ohio Attack: Suspect Killed, 11 Hospitalized, Terror Link Being Investigated

Local Editor

A Somali-born Ohio State student crashed his vehicle into pedestrians on the Columbus campus Monday, then slashed students with a butcher knife before being fatally shot by a university police officer, authorities said.

Eleven people were rushed to hospitals and one was in critical condition, according to university Police Chief Craig Stone. The incident is being investigated by the FBI, although no confirmed information had surfaced yet as to whether the attack was terror-related.

The drama began shortly before 10 a.m. ET, when the suspect deliberately drove over a curb and began his attack, Stone said. He said the officer arrived about a minute later and engaged the suspect.

"We are very fortunate that an OSUPD officer was there and took quick action," Stone said.

Monica Moll, the university's public safety director, identified the assailant as Abdul Razak Ali Artan, a student at the school. Multiple media outlets including NBC News and the Associated Press, citing sources who requested anonymity, described him as a 20-year-old native of Somalia living in the US as a legal permanent resident.

He was shot by Officer Alan Horujko, 28, who has been on the university force for almost two years, Moll said.

Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs, whose officers also responded to the attack, said terrorism had not been ruled out. "That's why our federal partners are here and helping," she said. "I think we have to consider that it is."

The student's motive is still not known. However, Artan was not previously known to the authorities, an anonymous source told the Associated Press.

Conflicting reports had begun to emerge surrounding Artan's character.

Student journalist Kevin Stankiewicz interviewed him on his first day on campus and said "he did not seem angry", and was more worried about intimidating others.

But US media claimed Artan may have posted a rage-filled rant to Facebook shortly before the attack took place.

An officer involved in the investigation told NBC a post appeared on a Facebook page believed to belong to Artan saying "I can't take it anymore" and referencing "lone wolf attacks" and al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

In recent months, federal law enforcement officials had raised concerns about online extremist propaganda that encourages knife and car attacks, which are easier to pull off than bombings.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team