Law-enforcement officials gather near Watts Hall and the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry building on North Campus on Nov. 28 2016. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State
When a police officer calls for assistance, their fellow officers come running without hesitation.
That was the case Nov. 28, 2016 when University Police Officer Alan Horujko called over his radio “shots fired” and “officer in trouble.”
Within a few minutes, numerous officers were on the scene to find that Horujko had already shot and killed Abdul Razak Ali Artan, who injured 13 people by first ramming his car into a group gathered outside and then by attacking bystanders with a butcher knife.
New details outlining the events that took place that fateful day were released by Ohio State Monday. The videos, photos and documents accompanied several officers’ narratives recount of what took place on the sunny Monday after Thanksgiving break last year.
That day will long be remembered on Ohio State’s campus for the students and officers who responded.
The officers who first arrived were paramount in securing the area and assisting victims before medical first responders showed up shortly thereafter.
Amid the mayhem, many — including officers on the scene — thought there was still a threat to campus.
The Lane Avenue parking garage, located next to The Blackwell Inn, was thoroughly explored and later cleared after a call alerted authorities of a suspicious package or person in the garage.
The investigation turned up nothing, confirming that Artan was indeed the only threat.
In fact, when University Police Officer Jason Becker arrived outside of Watts Hall he had only one thing to ask Horujko: “Is there anything else you know of that we need to be worried about?”
Even though Horujko said there wasn’t, Ohio State’s entire campus was put on lockdown for hours as officers searched campus for any other suspects or active threats.
As Officer Kevin Gray arrived and surveyed the scene, Horujko told him that he had just “shot and killed the suspect.” Gray then stayed with Artan’s body for three hours, he recounted in his written narrative.
Officer Mark Sandbrink was one of the first on the scene. He said he responded to Horujko’s call for officer assistance immediately and on his way heard gunshots echoing off the surrounding buildings.
As Sandbrink got out of the car with his gun drawn, he saw Artan lying motionless on the ground and checked to make sure Horujko was safe and uninjured.
Sandbrink said he stayed with the suspect’s body for five hours before being relieved by Columbus Division of Police officers.
Lieutenant Alex Rayner recalls showing up to the scene and seeing personal belongings, such as shoes and backpacks, scattered across the outside of MacQuigg Laboratory where Artan first ramped the curb with his car and plowed through people before he exited his car.
Shortly after the immediate scene was secured, a bomb sweep was conducted from West 19th Avenue starting at Koffolt Labs to the intersection with College Road.
Multiple officers’ narratives outlined the collaboration between University Police and Columbus Police, who ultimately took over the investigation.
Becker was in charge of assisting Columbus Police detectives with interviewing witnesses inside Watts Hall.
Becker also took photos of the scene that were later turned over to Columbus Police as part of its investigation.
Finally, almost three weeks after the incident, Becker was the one to go to Columbus Police’s evidence room to pick up Horujko’s Glock 22 pistol, which he had discharged five times, to end any threat before many even knew what took place.
