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James Robison

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Update: Ohio State Attacker Wielded Knife, Struck Pedestrians With Car

By Liberty McArtor Published on November 28, 2016

The scene at Ohio State University’s Columbus campus is now secure nearly after an individual struck pedestrians with their car and attacked people with a butcher knife. The OSU Emergency Management and Fire Prevention tweeted reports of the attack shortly before 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, initially claiming it was an active shooter. 

The university tweeted telling students to “run, hide, fight.” The statement drew some criticism on Twitter, but according to a report by CBS News, the statement is “standard protocol,” and means, “Run, evacuate if possible; Hide, get silently out of view; or Fight, as a last resort, take action to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter if your life is in imminent danger.”

OSU later tweeted that students should remain sheltered and only contact police officers, who are on the scene, if they have information.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, the attack began when a car struck pedestrians near Watts Hall at the Columbus campus. The driver then emerged and began attacking people with butcher knife. The suspect was shot and killed by police less than a minute after the attack, the Dispatch reported. 

The attacker was later identified as Abdul Razak Ali Artan, according to ABC News. Artan was from Somalia and a legal permanent resident of the United States. The FBI has joined the investigation of the attack, and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs said during a news conference Monday afternoon that “we have to consider” the possibility that the attack was terror-related.

ABC News reported that at least nine people have been taken to the hospital, including those with stab wounds and those hit by the car.

Student Cydney Ireland spoke with WBNSFox News Channel Monday morning as she took shelter in a restroom.

“I’m a little shaken up at first,” Cydney Ireland told the station. “I do feel safe based off the room I’m in.”

Though the scene is now secure, streets around the campus remain closed. Click here for a list of closed buildings and additional information.

This is a developing story. Check back with The Stream for updates as this situation develops.