A female student of Rice University in Houston, Andrea Rodriguez Avila, was found lifeless in her dorm room in an apparent murder-su!cide, sending the campus into a nearly two-hour lockdown.
The body of the junior student was discovered by university police on Monday, August 26, after a concerned family member asked for a wellness check and officers saw she had missed class Monday, Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said.
Avila’s suspected shooter, an unidentified male who wasn't a student, was also found dead in the room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Based on a note from the suspect found at the scene, investigators believe the man shot Avila before shooting himself, the police chief said. The note also indicated the pair had been in a troubled romantic relationship.
“This is a speech that no president ever wants to make,” Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said while announcing Avila’s death.
“Tonight, I want all of our students, our parents, and the entire Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe and there is no immediate threat, and tonight we will wrap our arms around our students,” he added.
The shooter likely accompanied Avila into her residential hall, Jones College, Rodriguez said.
The discovery of the bodies triggered a campus-wide lockdown beginning around 5:40 p.m. CT, and the cancellation of all remaining classes and activities Monday, according to the university.
The university announced at 7:18 p.m. that the lockdown had been lifted.
The Rice University Police Department is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, Houston police said.
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