2023-11-14 06:23:05
RUSTON, La. (AP) — Four women were stabbed Monday morning on the Louisiana Tech University campus in the northern Louisiana city of Ruston. University officials and local police said it appeared to be a random attack by a student.
Three of the four victims suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital in Shreveport, Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said. Campus police detained a suspect, a 23-year-old man, a few minutes after the incident, according to a university statement.
The man would be booked Monday afternoon after being treated for unspecified injuries, Ruston Police Chief Steve Rogers said. He would be charged with four counts of attempted second-degree murder, Rogers said at an afternoon news conference with Walker.
The weapon used was believed to be a folding knife with a blade about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long, Rogers said.
Of the four people stabbed, one was a graduate student who was the first to be taken to a Shreveport hospital. The other victims were not students. Two were hospitalized first in Ruston before being transferred to Shreveport, Walker said.
“We have two that we know are in critical but stable condition, one is in stable condition,” Walker told reporters.
A fourth victim refused medical care, according to the university.
“This appears to be a random act of violence,” the university statement said.
“It appears he ran after them and took them by surprise,” campus police Chief Randall Hermes told the Ruston Daily Leader.
Rogers said police had had contact with the suspect about a week earlier, but gave few details. “We had a reported incident with him,” Rogers said. “He was not a criminal. We went and checked it out and sent people to see him. He was fine at that time.”
The attack occurred shortly after 9 a.m. at the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center, a recreation center that offers sports classes to students and the Ruston community.
Campus police received a call at 9:08 a.m. and the suspect was reportedly in custody about four minutes later.
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