UIC student arrested after hallway knife incident

University of Illinois Chicago police arrested a student on Wednesday afternoon after an incident involving a knife and an incendiary device in a campus hallway. The suspect is currently in custody.

The event began at approximately 12:40 p.m. in a second-floor hallway of the Student Center East building at 750 S. Halsted St. Police Chief Kevin Booker stated that the unnamed student first attempted to use an incendiary device. The student then moved to attack another person with a knife, according to the university’s official statement.

Witnesses described the suspect pulling a large kitchen knife from a trench coat and chasing peers. Jonathan Uribe, a UIC student, said his roommate was among those pursued. Uribe recounted that his roommate slipped on liquid spilled from a bottle during the chase. The suspect then closed the distance and attempted to attack his roommate before bystanders intervened.

FBI and ATF agents entered the building to assist UIC police in the investigation. The Student Center East was evacuated shortly after the incident. Booker said the building would remain closed until 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 5. A campus alert instructed students to avoid the area while officers completed their work.

Booker credited quick actions by bystanders and campus safety personnel with the immediate detention of the suspect. He noted that while the incident was unsettling for those not present, the joint investigation by local and federal law enforcement is ongoing. UIC police confirmed there was no ongoing threat to the campus at the time of the statement.

The university has released information on resources available for students and staff affected by the event. No additional details about the suspect or the specific injuries to the student targeted with the knife were provided immediately after the arrest.