(GoRealNewsNow.com) – Prompting a campus lockdown on the first day of classes, a Rice University student was killed in her dorm room in what authorities believe was a murder-suicide.
Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland, was found by university police after a family member requested a wellness check when she missed class.
Her body, along with that of a man who was not a student, was discovered around 4:30 p.m. in her dorm at Jones College. The male suspect, whose identity has not been released, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In addition, a note believed to have been written by the shooter was found at the scene. It suggested the two had been in a troubled romantic relationship.
“In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship and obviously having a troubled relationship at this time,” Rodriguez explained.
The tragic event triggered a shelter-in-place order and led the university to cancel classes through Tuesday.
“This is a speech that no president wants to make,” Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said as he announced Avila’s death.
He continued, “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 continued in the university’s newspaper.
Avila’s parents were expected to arrive in Houston on Tuesday, DesRoches added.
Furthermore, police believed the shooter entered the dorm as Avila’s guest, as there were no signs of forced entry. Campus police also noted they had not received any prior calls concerning the couple.
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