Ohio State attack: Champaign County man grabbed attacker’s knife

A Champaign County native and Army veteran is recovering from surgery after being injured in Monday's attack at Ohio State.

Andy Payne, a 2006 Graham High School graduate now studying welding engineering at Ohio State, was outside Watts Hall because of a fire alarm when the attacker drove through the crowd.

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“Once he let off the gas pedal and the car came to a stop, I began to take a few steps toward the car to help people who were hit by the vehicle,” Payne said. “That’s when the individual got out with a knife and he attacked someone to my right. Then he turned to attack me and I grabbed the knife with my left hand, which gave me enough time to get under his arm and away from him.”

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Payne said he had surgery Monday to repair the tendons and nerves in his left hand and is now recovering at home in suburban Columbus.

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The six-year Army veteran deflected any talk that he was a hero for grabbing the knife.

“I just kept him from stabbing me,” Payne said. “It wasn’t like I was trying to tackle him or take him out or anything. I was just trying to keep the knife from hitting me.”

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