School officials from the North Texas town Graham confirmed the death of UT student Harrison Brown in the on-campus stabbing in a Facebook post Monday evening.
The UT Police Department held a press conference Monday afternoon confirming the suspect in the on-campus stabbing as biology junior Kendrex J. White.
UTPD received reports of an individual assaulting others with a large, Bowie-style hunting knife on the 200 block of East 21st Street, across the street from Speedway and San Jacinto, at 1:49 p.m. Monday afternoon. UTPD had officers on scene within two minutes, UTPD Chief David Carter said. Between the time UTPD received the call and the time officers arrived on scene, White had assaulted three other students.
White was taken into custody almost immediately, Carter said. The stabbing victims were three white males and one Asian male, all students in their early 20’s. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The victims have not been identified and those injured are receiving treatment at Brackenridge Hospital.
The University official safety alert was not sent to students until 30 minutes after the incident occurred.
Carter said the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety will be assisting with the investigation and sending their officers to help patrol campus and areas west of campus.
“This is something that rattles any community, especially a college campus,” Carter said. “We are fortunate in that the University of Texas has a great partnership with the Austin Police Department and the Department of Public Safety, who will be assisting us in this investigation.”
Carter said the department is working on interviewing upward of 25 witnesses, most of whom are students.
UT President Gregory Fenves released a University-wide statement after the incident.
“There are no words to describe my sense of loss,” Fenves said. “Campus safety is our highest priority and we will investigate this tragic incident to the greatest extent possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, the witnesses to the crime, and every member of Longhorn nation. We all mourn today.”
UTPD said the social media rumors that circulated after the incident, many of which claimed the West Campus area, specifically Greek fraternities, were additionally being targeted, were not credible. Carter said UTPD cannot confirm if any of the victims were fraternity members, or if the incident is related to the West Campus vandalisms that occurred on several fraternity houses last week.
An APD Public Information Officer confirmed that rumors of other incidents near 24th and 26th Streets in West Campus were not credible.
Additionally, a sign that read "Tuition Pays for Bombs" was seen hanging from the Moody Sky Bridge, between the Belo Center for New Media and the Jones Communication Center, roughly an hour after the on-campus stabbing, but was quickly taken down. UTPD said they do not believe the two incidents are connected.
There are no additional or ongoing threats to the campus areas, according to UTPD.
Shortly after the incident, Provost Maurie McInnis announced in an email that all classes and events were cancelled for the day.
