University of Utah Student Killed Outside of Dorm

University of Utah Student Killed Outside of Dorm

School officials have identified the victim as Lauren McCluskey.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • October 24, 2018

A student at the University of Utah was shot and killed outside her dorm on Monday night, according to police officials. The student has since been identified as Lauren McCluskey, a senior member of the U of U track and field team and communications major. 

"Last night, the University of Utah lost one of our own," Director of Athletics Mark Harlan said in a statement on Twitter. "Senior track standout Lauren McCluskey was tragically killed in a senseless act. This news has shaken not only myself, but our entire University of Utah athletics family to its core. We have university counselors and psychologists on standby to support Lauren's teammates, coaches and friends. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and all of those dear to her."

According to local news reports, university police received several reports of an argument followed by gunfire around 8:20 p.m. Monday night. Once at the scene, authorities found a woman dead in a car. The campus was immediately placed on lockdown.

Police identified the suspect as a 37-year-old black male. Witnesses say he fled the scene on foot. The lockdown was lifted at 11:45 p.m. after police felt confident the suspect had left the campus.

Around 2:45 a.m., the university tweeted that the suspect had been found and that there was no longer a threat. The suspect was found dead in an off-campus church by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said the suspect "forced entry to the Trinity AME Church on 600 St after a foot pursuit, then shot himself."

While police are still investigating and there is no motive at this time, it has been made public that McCluskey and the suspect had been in a brief relationship by McCluskey's parents. Their statement reads as follows:

"It is with deepest sadness that we let you know that our daughter Lauren McCluskey, age 21, was the University of Utah student who was killed last night. Lauren previously dated her killer for about one month. He lied to her about his name, his age and his criminal history. Lauren was informed by a friend about his criminal history, and she ended the relationship with the killer on October 9, 2018. He had borrowed her car, and she requested for the University of Utah police accompany her on October 10, 2018 to get her car back. She blocked his and his friends' phone numbers and complained to the University of Utah that she was being harassed. Last night, a little before 9 p.m., she was returning to her university apartment from her night class and talking to me on the phone. Suddenly, I heard her yell, "No, no, no!" I thought that she might have been in a car accident. That was the last I heard from her. My husband called 911."

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

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