A Sunday evening scuffle inside the Ohio Union on Ohio State’s Columbus campus escalated when one person pulled a knife and threatened others, sending university police into an active hunt for a suspect. The individual ran from the building before officers arrived, and no injuries were reported. Investigators have circulated photos of a person of interest and are working to put a name to the face, while students and staff are being urged to stay alert as the case unfolds.
According to WTTE, officers were called to the Ohio Union around 5 p.m. after reports of a physical altercation involving a small group. The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) is leading the investigation and has released photos of a person of interest to help with identification. WTTE reports that investigators currently believe the people involved are not affiliated with Ohio State as students, faculty or staff.
Police Are Asking The Public To Come Forward
Authorities are now leaning on the public to help fill in the blanks. Anyone with information or video related to the incident is asked to call University Police at 614-292-2121, or to contact the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-4545, according to the City of Columbus. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.
The Ohio State Department of Public Safety noted that photos and eyewitness accounts are often crucial to breaking a case and urged anyone who was in or near the Ohio Union at the time to share any relevant footage with investigators. Even short clips from phones can matter, they said, especially if they clearly show faces, clothing, or movement patterns.
Campus Safety Resources And Where To Look
The Ohio Union maintains an on-site security office and houses a satellite OSUPD presence, according to the union’s visitor and security information, which lists the building at 1739 N. High Street. For rapid communication when something goes wrong, Ohio State highlights tools such as the Buckeye Alert system and the Rave Guardian app as key ways the university pushes out urgent safety notices to students and staff.
The university’s Task Force on Community Safety and Well-Being also directs students to register for campus alerts and to contact OSUPD with concerns, reinforcing that staying plugged into these tools can help the community respond faster when incidents occur.
OSUPD continues to investigate and is asking anyone who recognizes the person in the released photos, or who has video from inside the Ohio Union around the time of the incident, to come forward. Police stress that sharing clear video or still images, along with as much detail as possible about the time and location, can significantly speed up an investigation.
