College student stabs 2 classmates while allegedly 'acting out' movie scene: Police

Jake Wascher, 21, faces assault and attempted murder charges.

April 2, 2019, 7:29 AM

A 21-year-old college student in Hartford, Connecticut, is facing attempted murder charges after police say he stabbed two fellow classmates while rehearsing a scene from a movie as a class assignment.

University of Hartford student Jake Wascher was "acting out" a scene from a film when he allegedly began stabbing both victims at an on-campus apartment on Sunday afternoon, according to the Hartford Police Department.

Wascher then fled the apartment on foot and surrendered to a patrol officer without incident about two hours later near a wooded area, several hundred yards southeast of the university's main campus, police said.

The two victims sustained serious stab wounds in their chests and backs, officials said. They were taken to a local hospital, where one was listed in serious but stable condition on Sunday. The other remained in critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit after undergoing surgery, police said.

Wascher, of San Diego, California, was arraigned from a hospital in Hartford on Monday afternoon on two counts each of first-degree assault and criminal attempt to commit murder, and his bond was set at $1 million. He is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on April 15, according to the clerk's office.

An attorney representing Wascher did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment Tuesday morning.

University of Hartford spokesperson Mildred McNeill confirmed to ABC News that Wascher and the two victims are all students there.

"The University of Hartford is in contact with the families of our injured students and they remain in our thoughts," McNeill said in a statement Monday. "At this time, we are focused on providing support services for our entire campus community. Out of respect for the students, their families, and in accordance with FERPA laws, the university will not provide any further comments at this time."