UC Merced closed off its campus after four victims — including two students, a staff worker and a contract worker — were stabbed Wednesday morning. A male suspect was later shot and killed by police, according to a police report.

Two of the victims were transported to a local hospital by helicopter, and the other three were treated on campus for stab wounds. All the victims remained conscious during the incident.

The perpetrator was shot by UC Merced police and died from his injuries, the press release said.

The stabbing incident was reported at 8:02 a.m. near the Classroom and Office building. Shortly after, UC Merced tweeted that the police defused the situation and contained the suspect.

Kevin Sabo, president of the University of California Student Association, said he wants students, faculty, law enforcement and local governments to work together to identify issues that lead to violent incidents in schools in order to address them effectively in the future.

“While we aren’t yet sure whether this incident was motivated by hatred of any particular group,” Sabo said, “we can imagine these acts of violence are typically born from a fundamental misunderstanding of how different groups of people can coexist constructively and peacefully.”

In addition, Sabo said campuses should be wary of an increase in police security and law enforcement because it can trigger negative and traumatic experiences for some students.

“Our campuses should remain a place of learning and engagement, not a TSA-like encounter at an airport,” Sabo said.

A press conference was held at 4 p.m. Wednesday at which UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland and UC Merced Police Department Chief Albert Vasquez fielded questions regarding the incident.

Leland said during the press conference that a contract worker “acted valiantly” during the incident.

“As shocking and troubling as today’s act of violence was, I am thankful that the incident was quickly brought under control by campus police and that the injuries to the victims do not appear to be life-threatening,” Leland said in a press release sent to the UC Merced community.

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said during the conference that the name of the suspect would not be released until the suspect’s next of kin was notified. Warnke has since identified the suspect as Faisal Mohammad, an 18-year-old UC Merced freshman and intended computer science and engineering major from Santa Clara, according to a UC Merced press release.

As of Thursday morning, one student has been treated and released from the hospital while another remains hospitalized but is expected to recover. The staff worker suffered from a collapsed lung but is recovering after successful surgery. The construction worker was treated and released Wednesday.

The UC Merced Police Department will continue to investigate the stabbings with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Merced County Sheriff’s Department will be further investigating the shooting of the suspect.

The Merced County Sheriff’s office is holding a press conference Thursday morning to formally release the name and develop additional information about the case.

The campus will remain closed Thursday on precautionary lockdown while the incident is still being investigated. The campus will resume normal operations Friday.

Contact Adrienne Shih and Jason Tran at [email protected].