University of Washington student found fatally stabbed, police say

A University of Washington student was found fatally stabbed at an off-campus housing building, authorities and officials said on Monday, May 11, sparking an active law enforcement investigation.

University of Washington police officers responded to a report of a stabbing at about 10:10 p.m. local time on May 10 at Nordheim Court, an off-campus housing complex for undergraduate students, according to the Seattle Police Department. Responding officers discovered a victim in a laundry room, the Seattle Police Department said in a statement on May 11.

Responding officers and the Seattle Fire Department "attempted lifesaving treatment," but the Seattle Police Department said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. After campus police cordoned off the area, the Seattle Police Department took over the investigation, and detectives arrived to process the scene. 

The King County Medical Examiner is expected to identify the victim in the coming days, the Seattle Police Department said. University of Washington spokesperson Victor Balta told USA TODAY the school could not confirm the student’s identity pending notification of next of kin.

The Seattle Police Department confirmed to USA TODAY that the victim was 19 years old.

"The circumstances leading up to the murder are under investigation," the Seattle Police Department said in the statement. "Officers are actively searching for the suspect, believed to be a Black male with a beard, 5'6-8" tall, wearing a vest with button up shirt, and blue jeans."

In a statement on May 11, University of Washington President Robert Jones shared his "deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and loved ones of the UW student who was killed late last night." He added that the university was reaching out to students affected by the incident and providing support and resources.

"There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student," Jones said. "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."

Students at off-campus housing complex were told to 'stay indoors and lock doors and windows'

In an emergency campus alert sent at about 10:40 p.m. local time on May 10, the University of Washington said campus police were investigating a death that occurred at the Nordheim Court apartments building. The alert advised residents of Nordheim Court to "stay indoors and lock doors and windows."

By around 11:05 p.m., the university said the area had been secured but urged residents to remain indoors. About 30 minutes later, the university shared a description of the suspect, who was described as 5 feet, 6 inches to 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and 25 to 30 years old, "with a slim build, black hair, and beard who was wearing a button-up shirt under a dark blue vest and blue jeans."

The university advised residents to call the police if they saw anyone matching the description or had any additional information that could help in the investigation. Shortly before 1 a.m. on May 11, the university told residents that they no longer needed to remain indoors but noted that the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Both police and the university later confirmed on May 11 that a student had been killed in the laundry room at Nordheim Court. The housing complex is privately managed and operated by Greystar, according to the university's website and Balta.

Nordheim Court offers 454 units ranging in size from studios to four bedrooms, the university's website states. The housing complex consists of eight buildings, and laundry facilities are located in Building 1 and Building 7.

The university said the student was found dead in Building 7.

"No suspect has been identified and no motive for this crime has been established," Balta said in a statement.

'No room for this type of hate or violence in our city'

Seattle City Councilmember Maritza Rivera, who represents the University District neighborhood, said she wanted to acknowledge the death of a "19-year-old transgender student at the University of Washington" and shared resources from the school for students.

"Transgender people in the US face disproportionately high rates of violence than the general population," Rivera said in a statement on social media. "There is no room for this type of hate or violence in our city or in our world."

The University of Washington is a public university located in Seattle. More than 52,000 students, including over 36,000 undergraduates, were enrolled at the university's Seattle campus for the 2025 to 2026 school year, according to the school's website.

The incident occurred during the university's final month of classes, with exams scheduled for early June and graduation ceremonies at the Seattle campus set for June 13, the school's website states.

Contributing: Zachary Fletcher, Kitsap Sun