OHIO, United States (Reuters) — The man who drove a car into a crowd of pedestrians at Ohio State University (OSU) before jumping out and stabbing bystanders Monday morning has been identified as Abdul Razal Ali Artan, OSU’s director of public safety Monica Moll told reporters on Monday (November 28).
Abdul Razak Ali Artan, a student at the university, was shot and killed within minutes of plowing into the group by police officer Alan Horujko, an officer with less than two years on the force, officials said.
Horujko was nearby responding to a call about a gas leak on campus when he spotted the attacker driving his vehicle into pedestrians.
“Actually it was fortunate that it (the gas leak) did happen. It helped the officer be at the right place, at the right time as he was able to see this whole thing happen and take immediate action,” OSU police chief Craig Stone said
Officials said Horujko killed the suspect less than a minute after the attack began.
Eleven people were injured in the attack, police said, revising the earlier number of 9 injured.
A U.S. government source said investigators have reason to believe the attacker at the campus in Columbus was a Somali refugee. The city has a large Somali population.