Alex Ophel charged with attempted murder after Australian National University stabbing

The heroics of staff and students who rushed into danger after a former undergraduate allegedly stabbed two women at a prestigious university in Canberra have been revealed.

Alex Ophel has been identified as the alleged stabber at the Australian National University attack on September 18, 2023.

It took minutes for police to rush to a prestigious university in Canberra after a former undergraduate allegedly stabbed two young women while heroic staff and students rushed into danger to protect others.

The valiant acts of the unnamed good Samaritans as well as emergency services and security following Alex Leonard Ophel’s alleged attacks were praised by the Australian National University’s deputy vice-chancellor Sally Wheeler who said without their help, the situation might’ve been “even worse”.

Police allege about 2.40pm Ophel initially engaged a male student by hitting him on the head with a frying pan with the student running away from the scene.

The 24-year-old then allegedly stabbed a 20-year-old female student multiple times before chasing a second 20-year-old female student and stabbing her.

Police at the Australian National University on Monday after the alleged stabbing. Picture: Sam Turner

Ophel then allegedly approached a second male student and punched him in the face.

Police and ACT Ambulance Service paramedics attended the scene soon after and rushed the two female victims to hospital. One is currently in a serious but stable condition and the other in a stable condition. The two male victims did not require hospitalisation.

Ophel was taken into custody and charged on Tuesday morning with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of common assault and one count of possessing an object to be used to kill.

No motive for the incident has been identified and police do not believe the victims knew the offender.

The 24-year-old appeared briefly in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning donning a grey tracksuit, thongs and glasses and did not apply for bail.

He was remanded into custody to appear in court in October.

Professor Wheeler addressed media at the ANU campus on Tuesday and thanked the several students and staff who gave first aid to those who were injured and went to shepherd others away from danger.

Australian National University deputy vice-chancellor Sally Wheeler. Picture: ANU

“It’s an extremely brave thing to do,” she said. “I and the rest of the university’s leadership are very grateful for their bravery and care.”

Professor Wheeler said they would ramp up security at the university in light of Monday’s events, which included more security patrols.

She felt it would be a “step too far” to enact sworn officers as security at the university such as the United States.

ANU Students’ Association president Ben Yates said Monday’s incident was a “terrifying act of [alleged] violence” and said many students were “upset and angry” over the incident, and asked those impacted to seek support.

A man being taken into custody at the Australian National University in Canberra on September 18, 2023. Picture: 9 News

The deputy vice-chancellor confirmed two of the students hurt were domestic undergraduates while two were international.

She said they were not aware in advance of any threat and that it was an isolated incident.

Professor Wheeler said it took “literally minutes” for police to arrive after Ophel allegedly assaulted and stabbed the students before he walked across Fellows Oval to the student’s union area where he was arrested.

Detective Acting Superintendent Stephanie Leonard addressed the media outside City Police Station on Tuesday morning and said the two women were still in hospital but given the nature of the attack understood they were “very upset”.

Detective Acting Superintendent Stephanie Leonard. Picture: Sam Turner

“Any violent offence is concerning, ANU and Canberra are usually very safe places and incidents like this are extremely rare,” she said.

The leading detective said Ophel’s movements would be subject to their investigation including why the 24-year-old allegedly had a fry pan and knife on campus.

“We’re working closely with ANU security, they’ve been assisting us with our inquiries and that will be ongoing,” Superintendent Leonard said.

“How the man came to be on the campus at ANU and his movements on campus are currently subject to an investigation.”

It’s understood there was video footage of the alleged incident being reviewed by police.

Fellows Oval was cordoned off and guarded by police on Monday afternoon as stunned students spectated the active crime scene.

Pictures of the scene of an alleged stabbing at Australian National University in Canberra. Picture: Sam Turner

One student said he was in Chifley Library overlooking the sporting ground and witnessed officers huddling on the oval in the aftermath of the “shocking” incident.

An ANU staff member who was helping her friend retrieve her vehicle from the oval’s car park knew the incident was “serious” with the amount of officers on scene.

A group of keen soccer players were shocked to find their Monday night friendly was cancelled due to the gruesome attack on two young female students.

Vice-chancellor Schmidt sent an email to the university community about 5.30pm on Monday and said their thoughts were with those taken to hospital.

Professor Schmidt said there was support available to those distressed from the incident.