FBI Investigating If Bowie State Univ. Student's Killing Is Hate Crime
The FBI is helping to investigate the stabbing at the University of Maryland to determine whether it was a hate crime.
Sean Christopher Urbanski, 22, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder as well as first-degree assault in the death of Richard Collins III.
University of Maryland Police Chief David Mitchell said at a press conference Sunday that he sought the FBI's help after finding that Urbanski is a member of a Facebook group called "Alt Reich: Nation," where members post racially charged material. Urbanski is white and Collins was black.
"Suffice it to say that it's despicable. It shows extreme bias against women, Latinos, members of the Jewish faith and especially African Americans," Mitchell said.
"We are here to evaluate that as an ongoing concern with respect to whether or not this was a hate crime," Gordon Johnson, special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Baltimore, told reporters.
Family members told News4 Collins was a senior, who was set to graduate on Tuesday. He was recently commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Collins was at a bus stop with two friends near Montgomery Hall on Regents Drive about 3 a.m. Saturday, police said.
Court documents obtained by News4 say Collins was waiting for the university's shuttle bus with his friends when they realized the shuttle bus had stopped running for the night. The three decided to call an Uber and were waiting for one to arrive when they heard Urbanski screaming nearby, the documents said.
Collins and his friends watched Urbanski has he approached them. According to court documents, "Urbanski said, 'Step left, step left if you know what's best for you.' Collins 3rd said, 'No' as Urbanski continue to approach."
One of Collins' friends noticed Urbanski was holding a knife with a 3 to 4 inch silver blade as the suspect stabbed Collins once in the chest area, documents said. The friend ran toward Baltimore Avenue as she called 911 and asked the Uber driver to call 911. Other witnesses stayed with Collins and tried to help him until police and medics arrived.
Two Prince George's County police officers found Urbanski sitting on a bench at a bus stop about 50 feet from where Collins had collapsed. Witnesses identified him as the suspect and he was taken into custody at the university's police department, documents said.
UMd. students expressed sadness and fear after the stabbing. Mitchell said the department has stepped up patrols on and around campus.
"I'm not aware of any increase in threats here on campus, but certainly and increase in fear," Mitchell said. "If I'm a person of color, I would certainly look at this as something that could happen to me. In fact, I know on Facebook our students are saying that.''
Dr. Artie Lee Travis, vice president for student affairs at Bowie State, said the school hopes the investigation moves forward as quickly as possible.
"Hate has no place in America,'' Travis said. "Hate has no place on a college campus, where young minds are coming together to try to change the world.'"
Urbanski is being held without bond.
Lawyer information for Urbanski was not immediately available.
Source:- http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/NATL-DCFamily-Identifies-Bowie-State-Univ-Student-Stabbed-Killed-at-UMd-423505764.html
