CNN
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A student at Rice University in Houston was found dead in her dorm room on Monday in what appears to be a murder-suicide. Police and university officials said the campus was locked down for nearly two hours as students finished their first day of classes.
The body of third-year student Andrea Rodriguez Avila was discovered by university police after a concerned family member requested a wellness check and officers discovered she had missed classes on Monday, Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said.
Avila's suspected shooter, an unidentified man apparently not associated with the university, was also found dead in the room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Based on a note found at the scene by the suspect, investigators believe the man shot Avila before shooting himself, the police chief said. The note also suggested the couple had a troubled romantic relationship.
“This is a speech no president ever wants to give,” Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said in announcing Avila's death. “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 imminent threat, and tonight we will embrace our students,” he added.
The shooter likely accompanied Avila to her dorm at Jones College, Rodriguez said. A university spokesman said earlier Monday that there were no signs of a violent break-in.
The discovery of the bodies prompted a lockdown of the entire campus and the cancellation of all remaining classes and activities on Monday starting at about 5:40 p.m. CT, according to the university.
The University announced at 19:18 that the curfew had been lifted.
Houston police are conducting the investigation with assistance from Houston police, Houston police said.
Jones College, where Avila lived, is one of 11 dormitories that house Rice students. Each year, new students are randomly assigned to a dormitory where they stay for the remainder of their studies.
Avila's parents are in contact with the university and will fly to Houston on Tuesday, DesRoches said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
