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Leaders, students unite together at The Ohio State University after knife attack

Posted at 11:44 AM, Nov 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-29 11:44:32-05

The Ohio State University community is working to overcome tragedy after 11 people were hospitalized on Monday following an attack carried out by an 18-year-old Somali-born student, according to law enforcement.

The attacker, identified as Abdul Razak Ali Artan, slammed his car into a crowd of pedestrians on campus around 10 a.m. and then got out and started stabbing people with a butcher knife.

A motive was not immediately known, but police said they were investigating whether it was a terrorist attack.

Minutes before the attack Artanposted on his Facebook page. The post read: “I can’t take it anymore. America! Stop interfering with other countries, especially the Muslim Ummah. We are not weak. We are not weak, remember that.”

Investigators believe the student, who identified as a Muslim, was radicalized. 

Artan was born in Somalia and was a legal permanent U.S. resident, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The FBI joined the investigation. On Monday night dozens of agents were seen removing boxes from the apartment complex where they believe Artan lived with his family. 

As officials investigate religious and university leaders have planned events to help students and faculty cope with the incident.

The campus resumed normal class schedule on Tuesday.