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By Chloe Mayer
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Four university students have been identified after their bodies were found at a home off-campus, sparking a homicide investigation.
The grim discovery on Sunday sparked a temporary lockdown as the University of Idaho initially warned its students to seek shelter, but the alert was lifted around 40 minutes later as it emerged police did not believe there was an active threat.
All classes were cancelled on Monday as a mark of respect.
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Further details about the nature of the incident, and the causes of deaths, have not yet been revealed. But, police say all four students are considered victims.
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Newsweek reached out to the University of Idaho, who declined to be drawn on the case itself, but replied with a statement revealing the identities of the four students. They were named as Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves.
Moscow Police Department had received a call about an "unconscious individual" on King Road in Moscow, according to a news release published on the police department's Facebook page.
When officers arrived at the scene shortly before midday, they found four bodies at the property. It is unclear whether all of those students lived at the home.
Moscow Police Department Captain Anthony Dahlinger told the Idaho Statesman he did not know whether any of the four students were previously known to police, and said he could not reveal details about who made the initial 911 call on Sunday.
Newsweek has reached out to the police department for further information.
There had been speculation that one of the students may have been responsible for the deaths of the other three, with the New York Times citing a police source saying that it could have been a "crime of passion."
However, a reporter from the paper, Mike Baker, later tweeted updates about the story, and said: "Coroner says not a murder-suicide."
Dahlinger (while speaking to a local news outlet) confirmed that all four of the students are considered victims and none of them are believed to be responsible for what happened.
He declined to say whether the deaths were considered violent or not, but added: "All I can say is the deaths are ruled a homicide at this point, and homicide and murder are synonymous. We certainly have a crime here, so we are looking for a suspect."
In the early stages of the investigation, the University of Idaho posted a "Vandal alert" on social media at 3:07 p.m. saying police were investigating a homicide on King Road and the suspect was not yet known.
Officials advised students to stay away from the area and "shelter in place".
But at 3:46 p.m., the school issued a second alert, saying that although the suspect remained unknown, the advisory had now been lifted. Nevertheless, it urged students to remain "vigilant."
The university says it is offering counseling on site for its students and staff, while "additional security has been deployed on campus."
The university also revealed some further details about the four students, who were all aged between 20 and 21:
- Ethan Chapin was a freshman from Mount Vernon, Washington, and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He majored in recreation, sport and tourism management in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences.
- Xana Kernodle, was a junior from Post Falls majoring in marketing in the College of Business and Economics, and belonged to the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
- Madison Mogen, was a senior from Coeur d'Alene majoring in marketing in the College of Business and Economics.
- Kaylee Goncalves was a senior from Rathdrum majoring in general studies in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences.
The city's mayor, Art Bettge, posted a statement online saying: "It is impossible to understand the senselessness of events like this, and we are all seeking answers that are not yet available. Our hearts and thoughts are with not only the victims and their families, but also their broader circle of friends and the entire University of Idaho community... This tragedy serves as a sobering reminder that senseless acts of violence can occur anywhere, at any time, and we are not immune from such events here in our own community. Today, we grieve for those who were lost and those they leave behind."
He added information could not be released "without jeopardizing the integrity of the investigation."
The investigation continues.
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