UC Merced freshman Faisal Mohammad.
University of California, Merced via AP
An engineering student who stabbed four people on the campus of UC Merced Wednesday was planning a larger attack in the California campus officials.
Inside his backpack, investigators found zip tie handcuffs, petroleum jelly, a night vision scope, duct tape and a small safety hammer to break windows, said Merced Sherif Vern Warnke during a press conference Thursday.
"This person had far greater intentions to do harm, and because of the actions of everyone involved, that did not happen," Warnke said.
Officials believe the 18-year-old was motivated by "personal animosities," in the bloody attack, and said that despite an investigation that has involved the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, there is no information to indicate the suspect was motivated by political or terrorist motives.
"We have no reason to believe that this was in any way related to terrorism," UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland said.
The university identified 18-year-old Faisal Mohammad, a freshman at the University of California, Merced, as the assailant.
Mohammad was a freshman computer science and engineering major at the university. He lived in the city of Santa Clara before moving into campus housing, according to the university.
Mohammad attacked two fellow students, a staff member and a contractor early Wednesday morning, officials said. All of them are expected to recover.
Wernke said investigators have gone through Mohammad's home on campus, belongings and personal electronics, and have yet to find a specific reason why he decided to attack people with a 10-inch blade Wednesday.
A handwritten note listing the items found inside the backpack was also found in his room, Wernke said.
More than 20 FBI agents and the Department of Homeland Security have helped look into Mohammad's background and history, Wernke said, and have found no indication there was a political motivation behind the incident.
Local and federal investigators are continuing their work to find out what might have sparked it, he said.
"Something got him, and we don't know what it was," he said. "I'd love to tell you what it was, but I don't have it."
On Thursday morning, university officials said two of the victims of the attack, including one of the students and a construction worker, were released from the hospital.
One student remains hospitalized, and a university staff member remains hospitalized after suffering a collapsed lung.
Officials said Mohammad attacked a student inside one of the classrooms Wednesday morning before he was confronted by a construction worker who was also attacked.
The class, a general education course required of all students, had started just a few minutes before the incident began.
Leland said Mohammed and the first student attacked had been in study groups together, but it was unclear exactly how much they knew each other before the incident.
Warnke said during a press conference Wednesday Mohammed injured another student as he ran out of the building, and attacked a staff member who was sitting outside the building.
UC Merced Police Chief Al Vasquez said the student was shot by two officers after running from the building, when he turned toward the two officers.
Merced County Sheriff officials have scheduled a press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday to release more details about the investigation.
LINK: Student Fatally Shot After Stabbing 4 at UC Merced
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1Ng34NQ
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