Accused UT attacker doesn't remember stabbings
Kendrex Jermaine White is charged with murder. On Monday, police say the 21-year-old UT student calmly walked around campus near Gregory Gym and stabbed 4 people, killing UT freshman Harrison Brown, a talented musician from Graham, Texas.
According to an affidavit obtained by FOX 7, after his arrest, White was taken to the Austin Police Homicide Office for an interview. He was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak. When the officer asked him if he knew why he was there, White said “Yes, accusations of pushing someone down and I think using a bladed weapon.”
A weapon, White told police he bought several days prior for protection.
Read UT officials console campus after stabbing attacks
The officer asked White if he was hearing voices in his head. White said his mind told him to quote "tell the truth and withhold any action that he did because it really didn't happen."
White said it was possible he used the knife in a manner to hit someone but he couldn't remember.
At one point White interrupted the interview and said "if I did something I don't remember, then I want to be told."
During a Tuesday morning press conference UT Police Chief David Carter indicated White may not have been in his right mind.
"This was not a conspiracy. 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," Carter said.
Read Classes resume at UT after stabbing attack
Karen Ranus the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness says when something like this happens, it reinforces a stereotype that people with mental illness are violent.
"We only see violence in 3 to 5% of cases in people living with mental illness and these are usually individuals who are dealing with serious mental illness and oftentimes what we're seeing is untreated psychosis which may very well be what we're seeing in this particular case," Ranus said.
She says it's something we need to talk about.
Read One dead, three injured after stabbing attacks at UT Austin
"How do we change this? How do we make sure that this doesn't happen again? And I do think one of those things is making sure that we start talking about mental health issues and we encourage them to get help and we don't shame them when they are having to get help. Especially when it comes to young people," she said.
Kendrex White not remembering his crime isn't a surprise to Ranus.
Read Public memorial to be held for stabbing victim Harrison Brown
"You have to realize that when someone is having a psychotic break, essentially their brain is on fire. The behavior that you will see can sometimes be frightening or irrational or not make sense because literally their brain is not functioning the way it should be. So did it surprise me to hear that he had no recollection of it? Not really," Ranus said.