At least one suspect has been killed following an active shooter situation at Ohio State University that left nine people hospitalized, authorities announced on Monday morning. Police have arrested two other suspects as they search for others involved in the attack.
The entire campus in downtown Columbus was placed on lockdown and all classes were canceled nearly 30 minutes after the shooting was reported, NBC Columbus reports.
Those injured in the attack were rushed to a local hospital—seven suffered non-life threatening injuries and one victim is currently listed in critical condition, The Columbus Fire Department said in a statement.
Witnesses also reported another assailant who jumped the curb outside Watts Hall and intentionally ran into a group of students. Other witnesses said that someone pulled a fire alarm inside the building and as students poured out of the building they were hit by the vehicle. The person then exited the vehicle with a gun and knife before he began shooting students.
SWAT vans and emergency responders surrounded the garage on Lane Avenue at 10:40am, the university’s student newspaper The Lantern reports.
“Buckeye Alert: Active Shooter on campus. Run Hide Fight. Watts Hall. 19th and College,” the university alert system tweeted on Monday.
Nearly 66,000 students attend the university in Columbus, Ohio.
While the incident unfolded, Governor John Kasich tweeted his thoughts and prayers to the Ohio State community, “Be safe, listen to first responders.”
Facebook has activated its safety-check feature so students can alert friends and family members of their well-being.
There have now been 355 mass shootings reported across the country in 2016 alone, according to GunViolenceArchive.org, a nonprofit that tracks shootings with four or more victims shot and/or killed in a single incident.
