Report: UC Merced Stabber Had ‘Printout’ of ISIS Flag

Federal agencies are taking an increased interest in the Nov. 4 mass stabbing on the University of California Merced campus because of the manner in which the stabber was dressed and the discovery of “a printout of an image of an [ISIS] flag” in his belongings, according to new reports.

Breitbart News previously reported that 18-year-old Faisal Mohammad entered a UC Merced classroom at 8 a.m. with plans to zip-tie fellow students to their desks, then call 911 and ambush responding police. His manifesto detailed his plan to take officers’ guns and shoot a predetermined list of students, including students who had barred him from being in a study group he wanted to join. He referenced “Allah” numerous times in his manifesto and wrote of his plan to “cut someone’s head off.” In the end he was able to stab four people–none fatally–before being shot and killed by police.

Following the incident, Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke assured everyone that Mohammad’s mass stabbing was not motivated by “terrorism” or “religion.”

But the Merced Sun-Star reports that “new information” discovered on Saturday led to the investigation being turned over the school and the FBI.

Speaking about this newest development, Warnke said, “I’m not at liberty to discuss the information, but the developments on Saturday caused us to turn that over to (UC Merced) and the FBI will assist them.” But another law enforcement official, speaking to the Sun-Star on condition of anonymity, did address the “new information” by indicating investigators are now looking at the manner in which Mohammad dressed for the stabbing and evidence that “a printout of an image of an [ISIS] flag” was found among his belongings.

Sheriff Warnke and UC Merced spokesman James Leonard both said there were no warnings of a possible attack on the UC Merced campus before the mass stabbing took place, according to the Sun-Star. Both men said they received no warning “from the FBI or anyone else regarding a potential attack on campus.”