Murder Charges Filed Against Severna Park Man In UMD Stabbing

SEVERNA PARK, MD — A Severna Park man has been charged with murder in the death of a Bowie State University student who was killed in a stabbing at the University of Maryland in an apparently unprovoked attack early Saturday morning, authorities say.

According to police, the attack took place on Regents Drive near Montgomery Hall around 3:05 a.m. Police found the male victim on the sidewalk suffering from serious injuries. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police have charged Sean Christopher Urbanksi, 22, of Severna Park, with first-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree murder. Urbanski is a student at UMD.

Urbanski reportedly fled the scene but was spotted by police shortly afterwards, the Washington Post reports. Witnesses identified Urbanski as the suspect.

David B. Mitchell, the chief of police at UMD, told the Post that Urbanski and the student killed in the stabbing did not know each other. The suspect had been drinking and police recovered a folding knife, the Post reports.

University of Maryland President Wallace D. Loh issued the following statement on the stabbing:

I am writing to all of you today with a heavy heart. This morning, shortly after 3 a.m., a male student from Bowie State University was assaulted with a knife on Regents Drive near Montgomery Hall. He was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

The suspect, a male University of Maryland student, was immediately apprehended and taken into University of Maryland Police Department custody. The investigation into the circumstances of the assault is underway, and charges are pending.

Words cannot express my deep anguish over this horrific tragedy. My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim, and to the entire Bowie State community. I ask that every member of our campus community join me in keeping the victim’s family in their thoughts and prayers.

There is strength in our unity as we grieve. For this reason and in solidarity with the Bowie State community, we will honor a moment of silence to begin tomorrow's commencement exercises.

In addition, counselors are available today from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Counseling Center in Shoemaker Hall for any members of our community who need support.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he had spoken to university officials and law enforcement officials. Hogan said the state was working closely with the university.

"Our students deserve to feel safe, and violence on our campuses will not be tolerated," Hogan said in a statement posted to Facebook.

Bowie State University President Mickey Burnim urged the community to come together during this tragedy.

"As we struggle to deal with our emotions, let’s find appropriate ways to express our sorrow and hope for justice. Let’s remember our words and actions have the power to heal and the power to hurt. Let's strive to use our actions to bring comfort and peace," Burnim said in a statement. "When tragedies happen, they can either bring communities together or tear them apart. I sincerely hope that in the days to come, the Bowie State University community can find a way to come together, lift each other up, and remember the one who we've lost."

—By Patch Editor Feroze Dhanoa
Photo of Sean Urbanski, courtesy of University of Maryland Police