Police Kill Florida Tech Student Armed With ‘Edged Weapon’

Police Kill Florida Tech Student Armed With ‘Edged Weapon’
A police car in this file photo. Illustration- ArtOlympic/Shutterstock
The Associated Press
Updated:

MELBOURNE, Fla.—Authorities killed a Florida Institute of Technology student who lunged at a police officer with an “edged weapon” on the college campus Friday night, police said.

The Melbourne Police Department on Saturday said 18-year-old Alhaji M. Sow, of Riverdale, Georgia, was fatally shot by police and a school security guard in a campus building during the attack.

In a news release, police said they responded to the campus around 11 p.m. Friday to investigate reports of a man armed with a knife who was assaulting students.

College security and police confronted Sow in a building when he lunged at an officer with an “edged weapon,” causing the officer and security guard to fatally shoot Sow, the release said. The officer sustained an injury, though the news release did not give additional information. Officials also did not give additional details about the “edged weapon.”

The college, on its Facebook page, said Sow was a sophomore studying aeronautical science. It is offering counseling services to students.