Chicago-area student attacked on campus

BOULDER, Colo. -- A University of Colorado freshman was slashed with a knife Monday in an apparently random attack outside the school's student center.

Michael George Knorps of Winnetka was coherent and able to talk after the incident, campus spokesman Bronson Hilliard said.

"He's back in his dorm room. They did the surgery and released him. Supposedly he's doing fine," the victim's uncle, Leon Knorps said. "He's able to talk, no vocal chords cut, no major arteries."

The victim's aunt, Elaine Knorps of Naperville, said Michael's father called with news of the attack. She then read the story on the Camera's Web site and saw her nephew's picture.

"I thought, 'That is little Michael,' " she said.

She called Knorps a quiet, strong kid. She said he was excited to go to the college because his sister also attended and now lives in Boulder. He is listed on the university's Web site as a finance major.

The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Kenton Drew Astin -- who previously spent time in a state mental hospital for a 2001 stabbing -- stabbed himself several times in the chest after the incident, which happened around 9:40 a.m. on the west terrace of the University Memorial Center, Hilliard said.

Astin worked at CU last year as a cashier at the Alferd Packer Grill at the student center, school officials said. He was arrested and hospitalized Monday with serious stab wounds, the school said. Officers were at the hospital late Monday, waiting to arrest him.

Wiesley said the suspect was holding a knife and yelling incoherently when Knorps walked by. The student was ignoring the man, who then grabbed him from behind and slashed at his neck, Wiesley said.

"We're very glad this young man didn't appear to be seriously injured," Hilliard said.

Astin was sent to a state mental hospital in 2001 after being accused of stabbing a 21-year-old Longmont man. Court records show Astin pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity on charges including attempted first-degree murder in that case.

Hilliard said there was no sign the school had performed a background check on Astin, who was hired through a program run by the county mental health center. Astin left his job in April because his temporary contract was over.

"Had we been aware at that time, obviously that would have been a huge red flag," Hilliard said of the charges.

CU Chancellor Bud Peterson said the school would immediately change its policies on background checks.

Witnesses said they initially mistook the episode as staged drama.

"Everyone thought he was doing a skit or something, but it ended up being real," said Cory Ravelson, a freshman.

"It looked like a Shakespeare act," said Nate Solber, a sophomore who said he heard the man yelling, then saw him jump toward Knorps and slice his throat.

"It seemed so randomly weird," Solber said.

Students helped Knorps by applying pressure to the wound with a towel until help arrived, which took only moments.

Astin was yelling that he had a bomb in his backpack and was going to blow it up, police said. The Boulder County bomb squad responded to the scene, but there were no explosives in the pack.