Man Accused Of Killing Black College Student May Be White Supremacist: Report

COLLEGE PARK, MD — The man who is accused of stabbing to death a black college student who was visiting the University of Maryland was a member of a white supremacist group on Facebook, and authorities are investigating if it was a hate crime, according to reports.

The University of Maryland said in a statement that the FBI is assisting with the investigation.

Police accused 22-year-old Sean Christopher Urbanski of Severna Park of stabbing 23-year-old Richard Collins III, who was set to graduate from Bowie State University this week.

Police were called to Regents Drive near Montgomery Hall at around 3 a.m. May 20 to a report of an assault with a knife.

"Officers immediately responded to the area and located the male victim on the sidewalk suffering from serious injuries," the university statement reads. "Officers provided medical assistance until paramedics arrived. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased by medical staff."

Prince George's County Police later stopped an individual near that location and identified him as the person behind the attack.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Urbanski warned Collins, who had just been commissioned as an officer in the Army on Thursday after four years in the ROTC program, to "step left, step left if you know what's good for you" based on charging documents. Collins reportedly refused, and Urbanski stabbed him in the chest.

Initially, police didn't think race had anything to do with the attack, but that changed when they found out Urbanski was a member of a racist Facebook group called "Alt-Reich Nation."

University Police Chief David Mitchell said that they learned of the Facebook group on Sunday.

"When I look at the information that's contained on that website, suffice it to say that it's despicable, it shows extreme bias against women, Latinos, persons of Jewish faith and especially African-Americans," Mitchell said according to the Sun.

Bowie State University President Mickey Burnim issued a statement calling the incident a "tragic loss of life."

"As we struggle to deal with our emotions, let’s find appropriate ways to express our sorrow and hope for justice," he said. "Let’s remember our words and actions have the power to heal and the power to hurt. Let's strive to use our actions to bring comfort and peace. When tragedies happen, they can either bring communities together or tear them apart. I sincerely hope that in the days to come, the Bowie State University community can find a way to come together, lift each other up, and remember the one who we've lost."

Bowie State University announced on Facebook it would hold a candlelight vigil in Collins' honor Monday night.

The University of Maryland has had a difficult spring when it comes to racial incidents. Earlier this month, police at the university investigated a noose found in a fraternity house as a possible hate crime.

"I resolutely condemn the use of a symbol of violence and hatred for the purpose of intimidating members of our University of Maryland community," UMD President Wallace Loh said in a statement as reported by the Sun. "All of us —students, faculty, staff, alumni — stand united in our commitment to core values of human dignity, diversity, inclusiveness, and intellectual freedom. We stand against such craven expressions of bigotry."

Many people have expressed their desire to donate in honor of #RichardCollins. Learn how you can contribute online > https://t.co/heaXlYYOEH pic.twitter.com/xswfRkZ1gP
— Bowie State Univ. (@BowieState) May 23, 2017

Image via University of Maryland