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ISIS claims the teen 'terrorist' who allegedly slammed a car into a group of people outside a university before leaping out and slashing at them with a butcher's knife, was a 'soldier of the Islamic State.'

Abdul Razak Ali Artan was a student at Ohio State University in Columbus and is suspected of launching the frenzied attack at around 9.50am local time this morning - hacking at terrified students, staff and passers-by.

ISIS' 'Amaq News Agency has now reported that the knife attack was perpetrated by a "soldier of the Islamic State."

Incredibly, the attack - during which at least nine people were injured - was brought to a bloody end less than a minute after it started thanks to the bravery of a police officer.

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Ohio State University Police Officer Alan Horujko drew his gun and blasted the attacker - knocking him to the floor where he died in a pool of blood.

The 18-year-old, a Muslim Somali immigrant, is also suspected of posting a chilling Facebook message shortly before his terrifying attack.

According to ABC News, the post referenced twisted Jihadi Anwar Awlaki - who died in 2011 after years of taunting the USA with sickening sermons that glorified terror attacks.

It is claimed the post also says: "I am sick and tired of seeing [Muslims] killed & tortured EVERYWHERE. ... I can’t take it anymore.

"America! Stop interfering with other countries ... [if] you want us Muslims to stop carrying [out] lone wolf attacks."

Investigators, including the FBI, confirmed they were examining whether or not the case was linked to terrorism.

According to reports in the US, Artan fled his home country in 2007 and moved to Pakistan with his family.

He then made his way to American in 2014 where he soon became a legal permanent resident of the nation.

The city in which the attack happened has a large Somali population.

(Image: Twitter/@SC_ClevelandNOT)

The attack at the Columbus campus, which was initially reported by the university on Twitter as involving an "active shooter," drew a massive response of heavily armed police.

Authorities at the university told students to "Run. Hide. Fight" as dozens of armed officers swarmed the scene.

Artan jumped the curb and used the car to smash into pedestrians in front of Watts Hall, Monica Moll, the university's director of public safety, said at a news conference.

The crazed attacker then left the crumpled car armed with a butcher knife and stabbed several others, Stone told reporters.

(Image: Twitter/@TheFancytastic)

"The only thing that you can say based upon common knowledge is that this was done on purpose," Stone said.

"To go over the curb and strike pedestrians and then to get out and start striking them with a knife, that was on purpose."

(Image: Twitter/bennybeatz) (Image: Bobby Griffith)

President Barack Obama was briefed on the incident by Lisa Monaco, his homeland security adviser, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

After being warned of an "active shooter" on campus terrified students and staff barricaded themselves inside classrooms and sheltered in place for around two hours as police scoured the sprawling campus for possible additional suspects.

A professor told NBC News that a colleague was slashed with a "machete" as the attack unfolded around 9:30am local time.

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Student Jacob Bower told CNN he watched the suspect pull out a large knife and chase people.

He said: "I didn't see anyone get stabbed, but I saw the police officer take down the stabber. He waited till everyone was clear, and the stabber clearly wasn't stopping.

"(It) took three shots to take him down. (The) stabber had a crazy look in his eyes.

"He was completely silent. Which was very creepy. Not even when he was shot (by police).

"The cop that subdued the guy with the knife saved so many lives today."

(Image: Harrison Roth / @goisles29) (Image: 10TV)

Heavily-armed police officers raced to the university, and students and staff barricaded themselves inside classrooms and waited for updates.

Students piled chairs and desks against classroom doors and called or texted loved ones to let them know they were safe.

Ohio State University is one of the largest universities in the US, with 60,000 students at its Columbus campus.

Students had just returned to class on Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday.