Police said Sunday that two people found shot to death in a University of Colorado dorm room have been identified as investigators continue to search for the killers, who are likely known to the victims. .
Police have identified Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, about 90 miles north of campus, as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs student who was found dead Friday.
Celie Lane Montgomery, a resident of Pueblo, about 75 miles south of campus, was also found dead inside her Crestone House residence, Colorado Springs police said. Police said she was not a student at the university.
Police cited autopsy results from the El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office for identification, but said the exact cause and manner of death have not yet been determined.
Meanwhile, police announced that they are investigating the death as a murder committed by the two men, who may have known each other.
“The investigation to date continues to show that this was an isolated incident between parties who knew each other and was not a random attack on other students at the school or university,” police said in a statement. Ta.
The fatal incident came to the attention of campus police at 5:59 a.m. Friday when campus police received a report of shots fired in a residence hall, authorities said. The police department said in an earlier statement that officers found the two people dead in a dorm room around 6:05 a.m.
The campus was placed on lockdown for an hour until it was determined that “an active shooter was not involved in the attack,” according to university alert records. The shelter-in-place warning lasted for more than three hours.
City police requested help, and Colorado Springs homicide detectives took the lead on the investigation, the city said in a statement.
In a letter to the campus community, the university said it was closed for the weekend and canceled classes on Monday to allow students to participate in “healing days” such as “healing circles” and “healing walks.” Stated.
“We encourage everyone to come together throughout the day to support each other and intentionally set aside time for healing,” the university said.
President Jennifer Sobanet remembered Knopp in a statement to the campus community.
“Sam was a senior studying music and a beloved member of the visual and performing arts department,” she said. “He was an accomplished guitarist and a very talented musician.”
The death occurred the same week that a student, identified by the school president as Mia Brown, died. Brown died on the night of February 12 after undergoing a medical emergency at the campus recreation center, according to the university's student-run news platform The Scribe.
“This has been a difficult week as we lost another beloved student, Mia Brown, on Monday. As we all grieve, please remember that you are not alone.” Sobanet said.
Knopf gave a junior recital early last year. He was scheduled to give a senior recital on March 21st.
A video of the junior recital shows Mr. Knopf wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt and jeans on stage in the Chapman Foundation Recital Hall in the university's Center for the Arts.
In the video, Knopf played a warm sound using what appeared to be a hollow-bodied electric guitar. Sometimes accompanied by his fellow musicians, Knopf performed a wide range of music from jazz to classic rock.
