Law-enforcement officials stand near the body of Abdul Razak Ali Artan, lying near the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry building on North Campus on Nov. 28 2016. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State
The University Police Division’s Board of Review sent its findings on the use of deadly force by officer Alan Horujko during last year’s Nov. 28 attack to Police Chief Craig Stone Oct. 4, finding it “objectively reasonable” and recommending no corrective action.
Horujko was the first officer on the scene last November after Abdul Razak Ali Artan plowed his car into a group of students and proceeded to exit the car and attack students with a large cooking knife.
Ohio State released the board’s conclusion Monday, along with a cache of other documents related to the attack, a day before its one-year anniversary.
“Officer Alan Horujko #312 discharged his Division-Issued firearm (Glock 22) a total of five (5) times towards an armed male who had already drove a 2002 silver Honda Civic over a sidewalk and through a crowd of people resulting in multiple injuries,” the letter to Stone read.
The Board of Review received the case file on Horujko’s use of deadly force “on or around” July 26 and met Aug. 21 and 28 to discuss their findings. The Board of Review consisted of Deputy Chief of Police Kimberly Spears-McNatt, Captain David Rose, Lieutenant Brandon Yankanin, Lieutenant Michael Neff and officer Adam Tabor.
Artan’s vehicle had come to a rest on the south side of MacQuigg Laboratory at 105 W. Woodruff Avenue after colliding with a concrete planter. Artan then ran down West 19th Avenue slashing individuals.
He was pursued by Horujko, who was already in the immediate area responding to a possible gas leak at MacQuigg Laboratory.
“While approaching the male, Officer Horujko gave several verbal commands for him to drop the knife,” the findings said. “The male then turned and began to aggress on Officer Horujko with the knife in his hand. Officer Horujko, believing the male posed an immediate threat of death or serious physical injury to himself (Officer Horujko) and the public-at-large, discharged his firearm.”
The Board of Review informed Stone they concluded Horujko’s use of his firearm was “intentional and not in violation of policy” and cited the Supreme Court case Graham v Connor, which stated that use of force by government officials must be analyzed under the Fourth Amendment’s “objective reasonableness” standard.
The board returned the investigation to Stone for whatever action he deemed appropriate.
