UPDATE: A federal law enforcement official said the suspect used a knife and a car in the attack – not a firearm – which still mimics the killing style of recent ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks.
UPDATE 2: CNBC is now reporting the suspect was a Somali refugee who lived near campus.
At least nine people have been hospitalized amid a knife attack at Ohio State University, an attack which copies the methods used by Islamic militants during recent terrorist attacks.
https://twitter.com/JaredWyand/status/803280194693922816
“A high-ranking faculty member who spoke to NBC 4 Columbus said that one of his colleagues was in Watts Hall at the time and was slashed in the leg with a machete,” reported the Daily Mail on Monday morning. “…The attack then got out of the car and started stabbing and slashing victims, a witness said.”
“The witness said that the attacker didn’t say anything throughout the attack.”
If true, this report sounds similar to recent ISIS-inspired attacks in Europe.
In August, ISIS claimed responsibility for a machete attack in Belgium that left two female police officers seriously injured.
“Belgian prosecutors had identified the assailant as a 33-year-old Algerian, K.B., who had lived in Belgium since 2012, saying that he may have been inspired by terrorism,” reported Reuters.
In July, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a truck through packed crowds at Bastille Day firework celebration in Nice, France.
“Revised figures say 84 people – including 10 children – have been killed and another 202 injured,” reported the Mirror.
Around the same time, a Muslim migrant attacked 21 people with a machete on a German train, leaving 20 injured.
“This has been one in a litany of machete/knife attacks at train stations and platforms and public places by devout and pious Muslims,” said conservative commentator Pam Geller.
Ohio State University sent out the following tweet warning students:
Buckeye Alert: Active Shooter on campus. Run Hide Fight. Watts Hall. 19th and College.
— OSU Emergency Mngmnt (@OSU_EMFP) November 28, 2016
Watts Hall is a science and engineering building.
Stay tuned for more updates.
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