(CNN/AP) — Authorities are now saying nine people were injured at Ohio State University when an attacker purposely drove over a curb and into pedestrians and then got out of the vehicle and began stabbing people with a butcher knife.
Ohio State Police Chief Craig Stone says eight of the victims are in stable condition and one victim is in critical condition after the attack Monday. Authorities said two people had been stabbed, four people had been hurt by a car and two others were treated for lacerations.
The injuries to the ninth person weren’t immediately clear.
Earlier, hospital officials said that eight people had non-life-threatening injuries.
Stone says an officer who was nearby because of an earlier gas leak shot and killed the male suspect.
As the chaos unfolded, university officials reported an active shooter incident at Watts Hall.
It’s possible the gunshots heard were those of police trying to stop the attacker, a federal law enforcement official said.
OSU student Jacob Bower, 20, said he saw a man pull a knife outside between the Koffolt Laboratories and Watts Hall.
“He pulled a large knife and started chasing people around, trying to attack them,” Bower told CNN. He said it appeared to be a large kitchen knife.
“Luckily there were so many people, he couldn’t focus on one target. I didn’t see anyone get stabbed, but I saw the police officer take down the stabber. He waited till everyone was clear, and the stabber clearly wasn’t stopping. (It) took three shots to take him down. (The) stabber had a crazy look in his eyes.”
When asked if the suspect yelled or said anything during the attack, Bower told CNN: “He was completely silent. Which was very creepy. Not even when he was shot (by police).”
“The cop that subdued the guy with the knife saved so many lives today.”
The motive for the attack was not immediately known.
‘Run Hide Fight,’ university says
Earlier, campus officials urged people to shelter in place.
“Buckeye Alert: Active Shooter on campus. Run Hide Fight. Watts Hall. 19th and College,” OSU Emergency Management tweeted Monday morning.
Watts Hall is the university’s materials science and engineering building.
OSU senior Anthony Falzarano, 22, said he was in class at the time.
“We heard a lot of sirens. I was in class and everyone got a text message at the same time for the emergency alert,” he told CNN during the lockdown. “Someone said they heard popping right before we got the alert, but I didn’t hear it. We are in a shelter-in-place right now in the building next door. ”
“The officers are putting on Kevlar vests and have big weapons,” he said. “I can’t see anyone going inside the building — there’s just so many cops here.”
Some students piled chairs against a door to barricade themselves.
“I’m safe in a barricaded room,” Harrison Roth tweeted. “If you’re on campus, get in a room and stay safe.”
Ohio State University’s main campus in Columbus is one of the largest in the United States. The university has more than 65,000 students enrolled across the state.
Students had just returned to class Monday after the Thanksgiving break — and after the OSU football team’s big win Saturday over the school’s biggest rival, University of Michigan.
Michigan’s athletic department tweeted its support for OSU, saying “Stay safe, Buckeyes.”
Students are getting ready for final exams, which begin on December 9.
The incident also comes during the first month of the OSU public safety director’s job. Monica Moll came to the helm on October 31.
