State Assembly honors four as heroes for roles in foiling UC Merced attack

Four men whose actions helped foil a UC Merced student’s stabbing attack in November were honored Monday at the state Capitol, with lawmakers standing to applaud their courage and willingness to put themselves at risk in order to save others.

“Without regard for their personal safety, this incredible group of people stood up for their friends, their community, and – in many ways – for all of us,” Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, said during a brief ceremony.

Certificates were awarded to Tyler Patton, a student who was in the classroom when the attack began; Byron Price, a construction worker who responded to screams from the classroom; Brady Amaral, a campus worker who alerted others to the attack; and Olaf Lopez, the UC Merced police officer who confronted the student attacker and opened fire when the young man lunged at him.

Their actions came on Nov. 4 when Faisal Mohammad, a freshman from Santa Clara, launched an attack on students during a morning class. He stabbed one student in the classroom before he was confronted by Price, whom he also stabbed, and then fled outdoors. The 18-year-old stabbed and wounded another student and a university employee before being shot and killed by Lopez.

In the days after the attack, investigators said a manifesto written by Mohammad indicated he had been angered over being kicked out of a study group. A detailed step-by-step plan indicated he wanted to take students hostage in order to summon police and steal an officer’s gun. He then planned to use the gun to return to a dorm and kill others, according to the manifesto that has been described by police, but never released publicly.

The FBI investigation into the attack is “still ongoing,” spokeswoman Gina Swankie said Monday.

Patton, Gray said, “is the first person we all have to thank.”

“After the attacker injured one student, Tyler picked up a chair and made it clear that he wasn’t going to back down without a fight,” Gray said.

Price, who had been working nearby, heard screams coming from the classroom, “but instead of running for safety, he put the responsibility to respond on his own shoulders and ran to meet the situation head-on,” Gray said.

Confronted by Patton and Price, Mohammad fled from the classroom building, wounding the two other victims.

“Many more would have fallen victim that day if it were not for Brady Amaral,” Gray said. “Brady sounded the alarm that an armed attacker was on campus and cleared the hallways and area around the building.”

“As the attacker grew desperate at the failure of his ultimate plan,” Gray said, “he lunged at Officer Olaf Lopez, who did his duty and protected those he is sworn to serve. This incredible group of people made the difference that day.”

Lopez, who was found to have been justified in his use of lethal force to stop Mohammad, remains with the campus police department. Amaral, 32, continues to work at UC Merced as a water distribution mechanic, spokeswoman Patti Waid said.

Patton is no longer enrolled at the university, Waid said.

Price works for his family’s business, Artisan Construction, in Merced.

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "State Assembly honors four as heroes for roles in foiling UC Merced attack."