Two people were found with fatal gunshot wounds inside a Colorado university dorm after shots were heard in the early morning hours and students were told to hunker down and keep the lights off.
The victims were discovered with “at least one gunshot wound” each around 6:05 a.m., according to the Colorado Springs Police Department. It is unclear if they were students.
The gunshots forced the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to shut down hours before most students were even awake and they were told to keep as quiet as possible and keep their doors locked.
“Lockdown! Lock interior doors. Turn out the lights. Move away from sight. Do not open the door. Maintain silence. Evade/Defend,” the alert, that was sent out before 6 a.m., said.
Shortly after discovering the fatalities, police called in the homicide department to help with the crime scene.
Police did not say if they believed the shooter was dead, but maintained that there was no threat to the surrounding community.
“We are in the very early stages of piecing together what happened,” the police said on X. “We are in the process of notifying family members of the deceased individuals. We don’t believe there is an ongoing threat to the community and we are investigating this as an isolated incident.”
Their causes of death have not been officially released as a coroner will make a final determination.
Colorado Springs Police will not be releasing any additional information at this time due to the investigation.
Around 8 a.m. the shelter-in-place order was lifted for everyone accept those located in Alpine Village.
The school will be closed for the day, according to police, but the shelter-in-place has been lifted as of 9:35 a.m.
Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade called the deaths a “tragic loss of two lives,” on X.
“Together we mourn, and together we pray for peace and comfort in this dark time for the family and friends of the deceased,” he wrote. “Let us find comfort in one another and the strength of the support system around us.”
