Current:Home > MyWoman dies after being stabbed in random attack at Louisiana Tech University; 2 others hospitalized -FundPrime
Woman dies after being stabbed in random attack at Louisiana Tech University; 2 others hospitalized
View
Date:2025-04-11 19:22:44
One of four women stabbed in what officials said was a random attack on a Louisiana college campus has died, the school announced.
Annie Richardson had been in critical condition after Monday's attack and died of her injuries Tuesday evening, according to a statement from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana.
"My prayers are with Annie's husband Peter, the entire Richardson family, and all who called Annie a friend," university President Les Guice said. "Our Tech family will feel the pain of this incident for some time, but we are fortunate to have such a caring community to rely upon as we grieve together."
Two other women were hospitalized and a fourth woman, who is a retired teacher, was cut but declined treatment in what officials say was a random knife attack outside a recreation center on the northern Louisiana campus. Richardson was stabbed as she left an exercise class.
One of the hospitalized victims was in serious condition, and the other was recovering and could be released as early as Wednesday, according to an earlier email from the university.
The suspect, Jacoby Johnson, 23, was detained minutes after the attack. He will now face a charge of second-degree murder, the university said, in addition to charges of attempted murder.
Neither the court clerk nor the district attorney's office in Louisiana's Lincoln Parish had information on whether Johnson, a senior at the university, had an attorney who could comment.
Richardson lived in Ruston. She was an artist who worked mainly in mixed-media work, according to her website.
Tech freshman Colin Campbell, of Minden, told KTBS-TV that he heard screams coming from the center, rushed over and saw two women wounded, including Richardson, who had been stabbed in the throat.
He put Richardson and Cynthia Woodard, a retired Lincoln Parish judge, into his pickup truck and headed to the hospital, but Richardson collapsed in the back seat as he arrived, Campbell said.
Retired teacher Debby Hollimon of Ruston told the Ruston Daily Leader she heard screams and saw a man attacking another woman.
"I just ran up screaming, 'Get off her! Get away from her!'" Hollimon said. "He stands up and looks at me with no expression, just as flat as can be."
She said the attacker had a short knife in his hand. He grazed Hollimon across the right side of her face with the knife and then walked away.
Authorities identified another victim as graduate student Dominique McKane.
Johnson lived in an off-campus apartment and although he was detained in February for possession of marijuana, authorities weren't aware of anything "that would indicate concerning behavior," Louisiana Tech Police Chief Randal Hermes said, according to the Daily Leader.
"There was no rhyme or reason" to the attack, he said.
The stabbings shocked students at the university with an enrollment of more than 11,000, and residents of Ruston, a small city in north-central Louisiana with a population of about 22,000.
The university said counseling was being made available to students individually and in group settings. A campus blood drive for the victims was planned for Thursday.
- In:
- Homicide
- Assault
- Crime
- Louisiana
veryGood! (367)
Related
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Why Dakota Johnson Says She'll Never Do Anything” Like Madame Web Again
- Cheesemaker pleads guilty in connection to a listeria outbreak that killed 2, sickened 8
- As France guarantees the right to abortion, other European countries look to expand access
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- A’s release renderings of new Las Vegas domed stadium that resembles famous opera house
- Love Is Blind Season 6 Finale: Find Out Who Got Married and Who Broke Up
- Camila Cabello Shares What Led to Her and Shawn Mendes’ Break Up Shortly After Rekindling Their Romance
- Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
- Man found guilty of killing a Chicago police officer and wounding another
Ranking
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Target launches paid membership program, Circle 360, with free unlimited same-day delivery
- Oscar nods honor 'Oppenheimer,' but what about Americans still suffering from nuke tests?
- Cheesemaker pleads guilty in connection to a listeria outbreak that killed 2, sickened 8
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Montreal’s ‘Just for Laughs’ comedy festival cancels this year’s edition, seeks to avoid bankruptcy
- CBS News poll analysis: Who's voting for Biden, and who's voting for Trump?
- EAGLEEYE COIN: Unlocking the Future of Finance.PayPal's PYUSD meets DeFi
Recommendation
Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
Latest Payton NFL award winner's charity continues recent pattern of mismanagement
Why is a 'Glee' song from 14 years ago topping Billboard charts?
Ranking all the winners of the Academy Award for best actor over the past 25 years
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Royal Caribbean cabin attendant accused of hiding cameras in bathrooms to spy on guests
LSU's Jayden Daniels brushes aside anti-Patriots NFL draft rumors with single emoji
The trip to Margaritaville can soon be made on the Jimmy Buffett Highway