Police are searching for an armed suspect after a 19-year-old student was found fatally stabbed inside a university-affiliated apartment building.
SEATTLE, Wash. — A 19-year-old University of Washington student was stabbed to death late Sunday inside a laundry room at an off-campus student housing complex, prompting a large police response and a continuing search for a suspect authorities described as armed and dangerous.
The killing happened at Nordheim Court, a university-affiliated apartment complex near Seattle’s University Village shopping district. Seattle police said officers and firefighters responded shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday after reports of a stabbing. Emergency crews attempted lifesaving measures, but the student died at the scene. Investigators have not publicly identified the victim pending notification of relatives, though officials said the victim is believed to have been a transgender woman. The case has intensified concerns among students and members of the university’s LGBTQIA+ community as police continue searching for the attacker.
According to investigators, officers arrived at the apartment complex around 10:10 p.m. after multiple emergency calls reported a stabbing inside one of the residential buildings. The victim was found inside a shared laundry room. Seattle police homicide detectives and crime scene investigators remained at the complex for several hours overnight collecting evidence and interviewing residents. Authorities said the suspect fled before officers arrived. Police described the man as Black, approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a beard, and wearing a vest over a button-up shirt with blue jeans. Detectives said the suspect appeared to be between 25 and 30 years old. “This individual just committed a homicide,” Seattle Police Department Detective Eric Muñoz said during a media briefing Monday. “They should be considered armed and dangerous.” Residents were initially instructed to shelter in place while officers searched nearby streets and pathways around the apartment complex.
University officials said students received emergency alerts directing them to stay indoors and lock windows and doors while police searched the area. The shelter-in-place warning was lifted around 1 a.m., though investigators said the homicide investigation remained active. Officials have not explained whether the suspect knew the victim or how he entered the building. Several students told local television stations that access to the residential buildings and laundry rooms typically requires electronic credentials connected to a smartphone application. One resident told reporters that many graduate and international students live at the complex. Police have not confirmed whether the suspect was affiliated with the university. Authorities also have not released information about a possible motive. Detectives spent Monday reviewing surveillance footage and tracing the suspect’s movements near the apartment complex and surrounding commercial area. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to formally identify the victim in the coming days after relatives are notified.
The killing renewed fears about safety in and around university housing complexes, especially after several high-profile violent crimes involving college students in recent years. Nordheim Court is privately managed but affiliated with the University of Washington and houses hundreds of students in apartment-style units near campus. The complex sits close to the Burke-Gilman Trail and the busy University Village retail district, an area frequently used by students walking between housing, classes and nearby businesses. University officials acknowledged the emotional impact the killing may have on students, particularly transgender students and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community. University President Robert Jones said in a statement that violence affecting a trans person can be especially distressing. Campus counseling and student support services were made available Monday. The homicide also comes during a period of heightened national attention on campus safety following several violent incidents at colleges across the country over the past few years.
Investigators said the case remains in its early stages and that no arrests had been announced as of Monday evening. Seattle police homicide detectives are leading the investigation with assistance from university police. Authorities urged anyone with information, surveillance video or details about the suspect’s whereabouts to contact the department’s Violent Crimes Tip Line. Detectives are expected to continue interviewing residents, reviewing building access records and examining forensic evidence collected from the laundry room and surrounding areas. Officials have not said whether they recovered a weapon. The medical examiner is expected to determine the official cause and manner of death following an autopsy. University leaders said they are coordinating with the property management company and law enforcement agencies to support students living at the apartment complex while the investigation continues. Additional security measures around the housing area may be considered as the inquiry develops.
Students returning to the apartment complex Monday described a tense and emotional atmosphere as police tape and patrol vehicles remained outside parts of the property. Some residents said they barely slept after receiving emergency alerts warning them to stay inside while officers searched for the suspect. “It’s sad,” resident Fedor Efimoe told local television reporters. “I want to make sure that I’m safe here.” Other students gathered quietly outside the building during the day, speaking in small groups and checking on neighbors. University officials said staff members were reaching out directly to students affected by the killing and encouraging those struggling emotionally to seek counseling support. By Monday afternoon, investigators continued moving in and out of the building while officers canvassed nearby streets and businesses for witnesses and surveillance footage. The atmosphere around the complex remained subdued as students waited for updates from police and university officials.
The suspect remained at large Monday night as investigators continued processing evidence and reviewing witness accounts. Authorities said additional updates could be released once the victim is formally identified and detectives determine more about the relationship, if any, between the victim and the attacker.