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Student Accused of Stabbing 2 Other Students at University of Hartford Was ‘Acting Out' Movie Scene: Police

Hartford police say the 21-year-old student accused of stabbing two classmates told them he wanted to see what it was like to stab someone.

The student accused of stabbing two other students in a campus apartment at the University of Hartford on Sunday was arraigned at Hartford Hospital Monday.

UHart commuter student Jake Wascher, 21, of San Diego, California, is facing charges of first-degree assault and criminal attempt to commit murder, police said.

Witnesses told police that Wascher and two other students were in a campus apartment when the stabbing happened. 

According to court documents, Wascher and the victims were filming a class assignment when the stabbing happened. During the filming Wascher stabbed a 19-year-old man and a 21-year-old man with a kitchen knife before fleeing the apartment on foot, the documents said.

Detectives say a University of Hartford student rehearsing a stabbing scene from a movie turned violent in real life.

The 19-year-old remains in critical condition after undergoing an operation and is currently in the intensive care unit. The 21-year-old is in serious, but stable condition. Both men are being treated at St. Francis Hospital, officers said.

The 21-year-old had a puncture wound to his chest and four to his back. The 19-year-old had a single puncture wound to his chest and back, according to police.

Police said Wascher was spotted in the woods a few hours after the incident southeast of the main campus and was arrested shortly after. According to court documents, he told police that he was curious what it would be like to stab someone and that he was not provoked or in danger when he attacked. The documents state he told police he stabbed the victims because he was "into his character" and "my emotions got the best of me, and I acted a little to (sic) hard."

Wascher was looked at by medical professionals at the scene, but was not injured, police said. On Monday, police said Wascher was transported to an area hospital.

"The University of Hartford campus community is deeply saddened by the serious incident involving the assault of two students on campus this afternoon," the university said in a statement.

The initial post on the University of Hartford Facebook page said there was police activity in the area of Village quad 2. 

"The University will continue to work closely with the Hartford Police Department in their ongoing investigation," a spokesperson for the university said.

The university said they will provide counseling to members of the campus community that are in need of support or assistance after the incident.

Wascher is being held on a $1 million bond.

The investigation is ongoing.

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