ORLANDO, Fla. – An Internet video purports to show the beheading of U.S. journalist and former University of Central Florida student Steven Sotloff by the Islamic State group.
Sotloff, who freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines, had last been seen in Syria in August 2013 until he appeared in a video released online last month by the Islamic State group that showed the beheading of fellow American journalist James Foley.
Dressed in an orange jumpsuit against the backdrop of an arid Syrian landscape, Sotloff was threatened in that video with death unless the U.S. stopped airstrikes on the group in Iraq.
The man ISIS says is Sotloff speaks to the camera before he is killed, saying he is "paying the price" for U.S. intervention.
In the video distributed Tuesday and entitled "A Second Message to America," Sotloff appears in a similar jumpsuit before he is beheaded by an Islamic State fighter.
The masked ISIS figure in the video speaks to U.S. President Barack Obama, telling him, "Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people."
A Sotloff family spokesman said Steven Sotloff's relatives were aware of the beheading video and are grieving.
The spokesman said the family has not been told by officials whether the video is authentic. Earlier, the State Department said U.S. intelligence officials were still trying to determine if the video was genuine.
Students at UCF are planning to honor Sotloff, organizing a vigil for him Wednesday night at 9 p.m. at the Reflection Pond on campus.
"Our UCF family mourns Steven's death, and we join millions of people around the world who are outraged at this despicable and unjustifiable act," UCF President John C. Hitt said in a statement to Local 6.
Last week, Sotloff's mother Shirley Sotloff released a video pleading with ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi not to kill her son.
"Steven is a journalist who traveled to the Middle East to cover the suffering of Muslims at the hands of tyrants. Steven is a loyal and generous son, brother and grandson," she said. "He is an honorable man and has always tried to help the weak."
U.S. Senator (D-Fla.) Bill Nelson issued a statement shortly after the Sotloff beheading video surfaced.
"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Steven Sotloff. Let there be no doubt, we must go after ISIS right away because the U.S. is the only one that can put together a coalition to stop this group that's intent on barbaric cruelty," Nelson said.
ISIS has also threatened the life of British captive, David Haines.
Sotloff attended UCF from 2002 to 2004, majored in journalism and was a writer for the Central Florida Future, the school's paper. He left the university before earning a degree, officials said.
"This is an unspeakably terrible circumstance. We join so many others who hope for Steven's safe return," said Grant J. Heston, UCF vice president for communications and marketing, after the Foley video surfaced.
Sotloff's college roommate, Emerson Lotzia, said he never imagined seeing him in an ISIS video.
"It was spooky to me," Lotzia said. "I was shocked. I didn't think it was real at first and I never thought in my wildest dreams I would know somebody who is in this situation."
Sotloff started his career at UCF writing for the Central Florida Future when he was a student there 12 years ago.
He covered breaking news but was particularly interested in politics.
"We were all taken aback when he talked about wanting to go to the Middle East and tell stories and do his thing over there. This is definitely very hard for all of us who know him and the entire UCF community," said Lotzia.
A petition started on the White House website had asked for President Barack Obama to "do everything possible to free American reporter Steven Sotloff from ISIS in Syria and save his life."
Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this developing story.