Ohio State Attack: Suspect Was Upset By Treatment of Muslims, Law Enforcement Officials Say

COLUMBUS, OH — An Ohio State University student who drove his SUV into a crowd of pedestrians on campus and then went on a stabbing spree using a butcher's knife was a Somali-born refugee who decried the treatment of the Muslim community in a Facebook post prior to beginning his assault, according to law enforcement officials.

That student, Abdul Razak Ali Artan, wrote that he was "sick and tired" of seeing Muslims "killed and tortured," law enforcement officials said. He then wrote that the United States should stop interfering with other countries, particularly the "Muslim Unmah." He also previously told the school newspaper that he was scared of praying on campus because he believed there was bias against Muslims. Law enforcement is considering the possibility that this was a terrorist attack.

Atran began his attack just before 10 a.m. Monday. Eleven people were injured during his spree before Ohio State University Campus Police Officer Alan Horujko shot and killed him. Horujko happened to be nearby and ended the confrontation in less than a minute, Ohio State University Police Chief Craig Stone said.

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Stone said Artan was the only suspect. There were rumors of a second suspect, but police believe the attack was executed by only one man. Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs said that investigations into the incident will include the possibility of a planned terror attack.

"This is a tragic situation," said OSU President Michael Drake. "We are so grateful that our safety personnel were on-hand and were able to minimize the injuries."

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At 9:55 a.m., OSU sent out an emergency alert to students, warning that an active shooter was on campus in the vicinity of Watts Hall. The alert included mention of an "active shooter" because of reports of shots fired. Those shots were likely fired by Horujko.

Police, including the Cincinnati FBI and ATF, SWAT and bomb units, rushed to the scene. At 10:02 a.m., the campus sent out a shelter-in-place message to students. Students were also told to avoid the area of College Road. Officers formed a perimeter around much of the university's northern campus.

At least one body bag was seen in the area of Koffolt Labs. Officers then surrounded a Lane Avenue parking garage. Two men were led from the garage in handcuffs. Those men were not suspects in the shooting.

At 11:14 a.m. the campus received a message saying the area was secure and the shelter-in-place had been lifted. OSU Police and Cincinnati FBI are now reporting that the situation is under control and the shelter-in-place for students and staff has been lifted. All classes on the Columbus campus are cancelled for the day.

NBC4 reported at the time that a staff member at Watts Hall may have been one of those attacked with the knife.

Horujko is a 28-year-old officer who joined the Ohio State University Police in January 2015.

Watts Hall is a materials science and engineering building. Parking garages near the facility were nearly full at the start of the incident. Law enforcement has said they will continue to have a visible presence on campus. All classes on the Columbus campus have been cancelled for the remainder of Monday, Nov. 28. The campus remains open, but a number of buildings have been closed. To see a full list of closures, click here.

OSU is a public university with a student population of just over 66,000 as of fall 2016, according to the school's website. Ranked as one of the nation's top public universities, it's main campus is in Columbus with regional campuses in five other locations in Ohio. Like most public universities, the school has a diverse campus with more than 1,000 clubs and organizations.

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