Ohio University attacker NAMED: Somali refugee student mowed down & slashed classmates
AN ATTACKER shot dead by police after going on a violent rampage at Ohio State University, injuring eleven people, has been identified as a Somali refugee student.
TENS of police cars hunt for active shooter in Ohio
Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 18, rammed his car into a group of innocent bystanders on campus before getting out and stabbing people with a butchers knife before police shot him dead.
FBI have refused to rule out the possibility it was a lone-style terror attack.
Police alerted staff at students at Ohio State University of an active shooter by instructing them to 'Run Hide Fight".
The alert read: "Buckeye Alert: Active Shooter on campus. Run Hide Fight. Watts Hall. 19th and College.”
Police at the scene at Ohio University
Police alerted staff at students at Ohio State University of an active shooter at, instructing them to''Run Hide Fight'
Artan had left Somalia with his family in 2007 and lived in Pakistan before resettling in the US two years ago.
When asked if the attack could have been terror-related, Police Chief Jacobs said: "I think we have to consider that it is.
"Obviously with the purposeful intent that was noticed - driving on the sidewalk - we're going look at it from the potential that it was planned."
Eyewitnesses described the "crazed" look on the suspect's face.
The chaos began at around 9.56am (local time) in neighbouring Macquigg Laboratory.
At least nine people were left injured and taken to hospital. One person is in a critical conditon and the other victims are stable.
Ohio attacker Abdul Razak Ali Artan
Nearby school districts in Upper Arlington and Grandview Heights were also placed lockdown.
Dramatic images posted on social media show how terrified students barricaded themselves in their classrooms using wooden chairs.
The suspect was said to be armed with a machete, according to reports.
One person has been injured
An unconfirmed text message from a person on the scene posted on Twitter claimed there was two gunman, one armed with a machete.
The drama unfolded at Watts Hall, the Material Science and Engineering building, according to reports.
Studenty Anthony Falzarano, 22, said he was in class at the time of the shooting.
He told CNN: "We heard a lot of sirens. I was in class and everyone got a text message at the same time for the emergency alert.
"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 drama unfolded at 9.56am
Another student, Wyatt Crosher, described hearing the sound of gun shots.
The 19-year-old said: "My roommate and I heard about three or four gunshots from across the street, and soon after we heard a bunch of police and ambulances pull up across the street.
Students have barricaded themselves in their classrooms
The shooter has been shot dead by police
Emergency services wheel a victim on to an ambulance
"We can't see the building where the shooting happened because of a dorm blocking our view. It truly sounded like gunshots, and really soon after we heard a bunch of sirens. We can see the police cars from our dorm."
Police lifted the shelter just after 11am, but staff cancelled classes for the rest of the day.