Suspect in Texas university stabbings to be charged with murder

(Reuters) - The man accused of killing one person and wounding three others at the University of Texas at Austin has a history of mental health problems and will be charged with murder, police said on Tuesday.

Kendrex White, a student at the university, appeared to act calmly during the stabbing spree on Monday, UT-Austin Police Chief David Carter told reporters.

"This was not a conspiracy," said Carter. "This was not a person that had a vendetta against any particular group. We have solid grounds and reason to believe that the individual was suffering from mental health issues."

UT-Austin President Gregory Fenves said two of the three people wounded on Monday had been released from the hospital, and one was still being treated.

Fenves identified the dead man as Harrison Brown, a first-year student at the university.

White, 21, has been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility outside Austin, Carter said.

Campus police responded to the first call of the stabbings within two minutes, Carter said.

The suspect kicked a female student as if he was "kicking her out of the way" and then stabbed his first victim, Brown, at about 1:45 p.m. local time (1815 GMT), he said. The three others were then attacked, one while sitting at a picnic table.

All four victims were outdoors when they were targeted. The suspect, who was brandishing a long knife, then entered a dormitory building where he was arrested by officers as he approached other students.

Social media reports saying the attacker targeted people wearing clothing identifying them as members of a fraternity were unfounded, Carter said.

None of the victims was wearing such clothing, he said.

Classes were held on Tuesday after being canceled on Monday after the stabbings.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale and Tom James in Seattle; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Jeffrey Benkoe)