Rita Odafe
Andrea Rodriguez Avila
A distressing event unfolded at Rice University in Houston as student Andrea Rodriguez Avila was tragically found deceased in her dorm room in what appears to be a murder-su!cide, leading to a lockdown on campus.
The junior student’s body was discovered by university police on Monday, August 26, following concerns raised by a family member after she didn’t show up for class that day, as shared by Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez.
Tragically, the suspected shooter, an unidentified non-student male, was also found lifeless in the room due to a self-inflicted gunshot, according to the authorities.
Authorities believe, from a note left by the suspect at the scene, that the man first shot Avila before turning the gun on himself, revealing a troubled romantic relationship between the two.
“This is a speech that no president ever wants to make,” expressed Rice University President Reginald DesRoches when sharing the news of Avila’s demise.
“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 assured.
The shooter is believed to have entered Avila’s residence hall, Jones College, alongside her, as mentioned by Rodriguez.
The distressing discovery prompted a campus-wide lockdown starting around 5:40 p.m. CT, leading to the cancellation of all remaining classes and activities for the day as per the university’s directives.
At 7:18 p.m., it was announced that the lockdown had been lifted, reassuring the campus community.
The investigation is being spearheaded by the Rice University Police Department with support from the Houston Police Department, as confirmed by authorities.
