Police are still searching for the suspect who fatally stabbed a 19-year-old University of Washington student inside Nordheim Court’s laundry room on Sunday.
SEATTLE — Police are still searching for the suspect who fatally stabbed a 19-year-old University of Washington student inside the laundry room of the Nordheim Court off-campus housing complex late Sunday night, leaving the surrounding community on edge.
The attack occurred just after 10 p.m. Sunday at Nordheim Court. The victim, identified by officials as a 19-year-old transgender woman, has not yet been formally identified by the medical examiner. No suspect has been named, and no motive has been established.
With a killer still unaccounted for, concern is rippling through the student community. UW student Joelle, a resident at Nordheim Court, voiced the uncertainty many are feeling.
“If he is at large, I don’t know what that says for safety around here,” she said. “We don’t know the motivation. We don’t know if he is going to come back.”
That sentiment has extended beyond the housing complex to neighbors living nearby.
“We need to know who it is,” said Lou Zana, who lives close to the scene.
UW President Robert J. Jones issued a statement acknowledging the pain the attack has inflicted on the campus community, and specifically recognizing its potential impact on LGBTQIA+ students.
“While investigators have not yet identified a suspect or a motive, I want to recognize that when violence affects a trans person, it can be especially worrying to our LGBTQIA+ community members,” Jones wrote.
Despite the grief, residents say the tragedy has brought some people closer together. Mourners have been leaving flowers at the complex and offering one another support.
“I’m a student as well. And it’s really sad to see such a young person pass away,” said Oscar Ramirez.
“In a terrible way I have learned more about Nordheim residents and my neighbors basically because everyone is kind of coming together,” Joelle said.
Daily life for some living at the complex has been altered. Residents describe taking new safety precautions, with Joelle noting that she has resorted to barricading the doors at night.
“We have an armchair against the door at night now,” she said. “At night, you start remembering it or you get freaked out.”
“It is something you can’t undo no matter what precautions are taken, no matter whether or not he is caught. It is just something that is going to always hang over this building,” Joelle added.
The University’s Division of Student Life is reaching out to affected students and providing support and resources.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Seattle Police Department’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
