There’s a Texas connection to the horrific scene on the Ohio State University campus. A man veered his car onto a sidewalk Monday and stabbed several people. Nine are hurt and the suspect is dead. NBC 5 has learned that man spent time in Dallas.
It was June 5, 2014 when a young teenager named Abul Razak Ali Artan arrived in Dallas with his mother and six siblings.
A little more than two years before he was the suspect in a violent knife attack on the Ohio State campus.
"We gave them aid and comfort and some shelter as part of the government resettlement program," explained Catholic Charities C.E.O. Dave Woodyard.
The Somali immigrants arrived from Pakistan at D/FW International Airport via JFK International Airport.
Catholic Charities says someone from the organization likely picked the family up from the airport when they arrived.
According to Catholic Charities of Dallas records, the family was in temporary housing in Dallas for 23 days, leaving June 28, 2014.
"Then they emigrated. Left, and moved onto Columbus, Ohio," Woodyard said. "And that's when we closed our file."
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Woodyard said that file will now be shared with the Columbus Police Department in its investigation of Monday's attack.
Woodyard points out that refugees are vetted by the U.S. Department of State before they arrive in the United States and that organizations like Catholic Charities are there to help them assimilate and start new lives.
"Most of them are successful," he said.
