Knife (illustration)
Knife (illustration)Israel Police Spokesman

Four people were stabbed at the University of California, Merced, on Wednesday morning by an assailant who was shot and killed by police. It remains unclear what the motives behind the attack were.

The four victims were all attacked in front of the Classroom and Office Building on campus according to a school statement, reports CNN.

Initially the school had identified all four as students but later updated that assessment by revealing not all were students.

The attacker himself was identified in reports as being a student in his early 20s.

All four victims were said to be conscious. The full extent of their wounds has yet to be detailed.

The university closed the campus and canceled classes for the day in response to the attack, announcing "the situation is under control."

"Campus is locked down. Do not come to campus. If you're on campus, stay where you are," read a school announcement. "Though there is no active danger, getting on and off campus is difficult."

UC Merced's campus has approximately 6,685 students currently enrolled.

The stabbing attack comes on the heels of several campus shootings in recent weeks in the US.

Last month a gunman murdered nine at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon, before killing himself.

Also in early October one person was murdered and three others wounded in a shooting at Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff campus.