A Rice University student was gunned down in her dorm room on the first day of classes in an apparent murder-suicide.
The Rice University Police Department is investigating the incident after receiving a welfare check request on Monday from the family of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland. Police later found Avila shot in her dorm room, school officials said. The suspect, a male unaffiliated with the university, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
In a letter to the school community, Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman said there was no sign of forced entry. RUPD Chief Clemente Rodriguez told Fox News that Avila had likely given the man access to the building, noting that the two had a preexisting romantic relationship. A note found at the scene by the suspect suggested they were in a "troubled relationship."
"This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will affect our close-knit community in the days and weeks ahead," university President Reginald DesRoches said in a statement. "Tonight, I want our students, parents and Rice community to know that our campus is safe, that there is no further threat and that we are wrapping our arms around you with care and concern. As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be – to Andrea's family and our community."
Gorman said the community was mourning "the loss of a wonderful person taken from us too soon."
Tuesday classes at the small Houston school were canceled, with campus counseling resources available for those in need.
