A Rice University student was found shot to death in her dorm room Monday in an apparent murder-suicide, spurring the Houston campus to lockdown on the first day of classes, officials said.
The body of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland, was found by university police after a concerned family member requested a wellness check and school officials saw she had missed class, Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said, according to KTRK.
Avila and the man, who was not a student, were found around 4:30 p.m. in her dorm room at Jones College.
The male suspect, whose identity has not been released, had a self-inflicted gunshot wound and both were pronounced dead at the scene.
A note believed to be written by the shooter that was found at the scene indicated the two had been in a romantic relationship.
“In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship and obviously having a troubled relationship at this time,” Rodriguez said.
The horrifying discovery set off a shelter-in-place and prompted the university to cancel classes through Tuesday.
“This is a speech that no president wants to make,” Rice University President Reginald DesRoches told reporters while announcing Avila’s death.
“I want all of our students, our parents and the entire Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe. There is no immediate threat, and tonight, we will wrap our arms around our students. As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be,” DesRoches said, according to the university’s student newspaper, The Rice Thresher.
Avila’s parents were set to fly out to Houston on Tuesday, DesRoches added.
Police said they believe the shooter entered the dorm as a guest with Avila as there was no sign of forced entry into her room.
Campus police said they had not received any prior calls concerning the couple.
Counseling services are available to any students or staff in need, school officials said.
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