In a startling incident at Louisiana Tech University, four women were injured in a stabbing occurrence on campus.
The suspect, identified as 23-year-old student Jacoby Johnson, was arrested by campus police shortly after the incident.
The stabbing took place outside the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center around 9 a.m. on November 13, 2023, as people were leaving the building. Amongst the victims was a graduate student and three others not affiliated with the university. The nature of the attack appears to be a random act of violence, with the assailant allegedly surprising the victims from behind.
The graduate student was airlifted to a hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana, in serious but stable condition. Two other victims were initially hospitalized in Ruston, with one in critical condition and the other in serious condition; both were later transferred to the Shreveport hospital. The fourth victim refused medical treatment. The suspect, Johnson, was also hospitalized, though the reasons for his hospitalization have not been disclosed.
Johnson, a Louisiana Tech student, was charged with four counts of attempted second-degree murder and is being held at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. It is reported that he used a folding knife with a blade about four inches long in the attack. Notably, there was no prior criminal history recorded for Johnson, but there was a previous non-criminal incident involving him that had led to police contact a week earlier.
The university is providing counseling services to students in need. The Ruston Police Department and Louisiana Tech Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
