Campus Alert Archive
OSU

No Buckeye Alert: Fatal Lincoln Tower Stabbing Notified Only by Snapchat

OHstabbingadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On the evening of April 10, 2026, a 19-year-old man was fatally stabbed at the Lincoln Tower turf fields on Ohio State's campus. OSU did not issue a Buckeye Alert because a 15-year-old suspect was in custody within minutes. The university only notified the public via brief Twitter/X posts at 8:47 PM EDT, prompting student criticism of OSU's notification choices.

Alerts
2
Response
62 min
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
The Ohio State University
Public R1 · OH
~60,000 studentsBuckeye Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTTwitter/X
Approximate reconstruction208 chars
Ohio State Emergency Management is aware of a stabbing that occurred earlier this evening near Lincoln Tower. A suspect is in custody. There is no ongoing threat to the community. No Buckeye Alert was issued.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from WOSU and Lantern reporting; the post is described in news coverage but not preserved verbatim in archives
University spokesperson Dan Hedman said no Buckeye Alert was issued because the suspect was in custody and there was no ongoing threat
Sent at 8:47 PM EDT, roughly one hour after the 7:45 PM stabbing
FOLLOW-UPTwitter/X+5 min
Approximate reconstruction236 chars
Ohio State Police are investigating a stabbing that occurred near Lincoln Tower. One person was transported to OSU Wexner Medical Center. A juvenile suspect is in custody. There is no ongoing threat. Updates will be shared as available.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from contemporaneous reporting; OSU Police posted approximately 5 minutes after the OSU Emergency Management account
Students reported learning about the stabbing first through Snapchat stories rather than university notifications
The five-minute spacing between agency posts illustrates OSU's coordinated-but-fragmented social-media notification approach
Context

Background

At approximately 7:45 PM EDT on Friday, April 10, 2026, 19-year-old Guilliani Olguin Jacinto was stabbed at the Lincoln Tower turf fields on Ohio State's campus by a 15-year-old. Police took the suspect into custody within minutes, and Jacinto was transported to the OSU Wexner Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 12:37 AM EDT on April 11. Despite the fatal attack happening adjacent to one of OSU's largest residence halls, the university did not send a Buckeye Alert; OSU Emergency Management posted on Twitter/X at 8:47 PM EDT and OSU Police followed five minutes later. University spokesperson Dan Hedman explained that 'with the suspect in custody, there was no ongoing threat and therefore no Buckeye Alert was issued.' Students criticized the lack of notification, with many learning of the incident through Snapchat stories. Neither the victim nor the suspect was affiliated with OSU. The 15-year-old was charged with murder and tampering with evidence, and defense counsel argued the stabbing was self-defense. OSU subsequently announced earlier closure of the turf fields and is reviewing structural and technological security upgrades.
Analysis

Key Findings

The incident is a high-profile example of OSU's interpretation of Clery Act 'ongoing threat' — fast suspect apprehension was treated as ground for no Buckeye Alert despite a fatality
Students argued that the absence of a formal alert violated their reasonable expectations of being notified about deadly campus violence
OSU's reliance on social media in lieu of Buckeye Alert highlights the gap between Clery's legal minimum (ongoing threat) and community expectations of full transparency
Both victim and suspect were unaffiliated with OSU, illustrating the challenge of campus crime committed by non-students on campus property
Outcome
The 19-year-old victim, Guilliani Olguin Jacinto, was pronounced dead at the OSU Wexner Medical Center at 12:37 AM EDT on April 11. The 15-year-old suspect was charged with murder and tampering with evidence; defense counsel claimed self-defense.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    19-year-old man identified in stabbing on Lincoln Field (The Lantern)
    thelantern.com
  2. News
    Ohio State students disappointed over lack of notification following deadly stabbing (WOSU)
    wosu.org
  3. News
    Teen homicide suspect in custody minutes after fatal campus stabbing (10TV)
    10tv.com
  4. News
    Man fatally stabbed at Ohio State turf fields identified (NBC4)
    nbc4i.com
  5. News
    15-year-old charged with murder for stabbing on college campus soccer field (Fox 8)
    fox8live.com
Tags
stabbingfatalohio-statepublic-r1no-alert-issuedsocial-media-notificationclery-controversynon-student-victim
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion