Daijiworld Media Network – Seattle
Seattle, May 12: A 19-year-old University of Washington student was found fatally stabbed at an off-campus student housing complex, prompting an active police investigation and heightened concern among students and residents.
According to the Seattle Police Department, University of Washington police officers responded to a report of a stabbing at around 10:10 p.m. local time on May 10 at Nordheim Court, an off-campus housing facility for undergraduate students.
Officers discovered the victim inside a laundry room at the apartment complex. Police and Seattle Fire Department personnel attempted lifesaving treatment, but the student was declared dead at the scene.
After securing the area, the University of Washington Police Department handed over the investigation to Seattle Police detectives, who later processed the crime scene.
Authorities said the King County Medical Examiner’s Office would officially identify the victim after notification of the next of kin.
The Seattle Police Department confirmed that the victim was 19 years old.
Police said the circumstances leading to the killing remain under investigation and efforts are underway to locate the suspect.
Authorities described the suspect as a Black male with a beard, believed to be between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall, wearing a button-up shirt under a dark blue vest along with blue jeans.
Following the incident, the university issued emergency alerts advising residents at Nordheim Court to remain indoors and lock doors and windows as police searched the area.
Later in the night, the university informed students that the immediate threat had subsided, though the investigation remains active.
University of Washington President Robert Jones expressed condolences over the incident and said support services were being extended to affected students and community members.
“There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student,” Jones said in a statement.
He also acknowledged concerns within the LGBTQIA+ community, stating that violence involving a trans person could create additional fear and anxiety among students.
Police have urged anyone with information related to the case or sightings of the suspect to contact investigators immediately.