UC Merced Stabbing Suspect May Have Self-Radicalized, FBI Says

— -- The FBI said Thursday that the teenage suspect who allegedly stabbed four people on the University Of California, Merced campus planned his attack and had visited ISIS-related and other extremist websites in the weeks before.

The government today said it allegedly discovered ISIS propaganda on Faisal Mohammad's laptop and that the 18-year-old had been viewing ISIS propaganda online.

“Investigators developed information that he may have self-radicalized and drawn inspiration from terrorist propaganda,” said a press release by FBI Sacramento.

On Nov. 4, 2015 Mohammad entered a classroom where he allegedly stabbed a fellow student. He then attacked three other people as he fled the classroom and moved across the campus, according to the FBI.

Mohammad was shot and killed by a UC Merced police officer at the scene. The FBI Fresno Area Joint Terrorism Task Force also responded to the stabbing incident when it unfolded.

During its investigation, the FBI found that Mohammad began preparing for the attack at least one week before the stabbings.

Mohammad’s laptop contained pro-ISIS propaganda and showed that he had visited extremist websites in the weeks leading up to the stabbings, according to the FBI’s investigation.

The FBI said it did not find any evidence that Mohammad was working with anyone else or was directed by anyone to conduct the attack.

After the incident, the coroner found a two page hand-written manifesto found on suspect that detailed plans to use zip ties, petroleum jelly to cause people to slip, as well as references to Allah, according to Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke.

However, just after the stabbings, Warnke said that Mohammad’s attack was motivated by anger over being kicked out of a study group.

“There is still nothing to indicate that this is anything other than a teenage boy that got upset with classmates,” Warnke said at the time.

At the time Warnke also pointed out that the investigation was ongoing.

Connor Burton contributed reporting.