Man, woman found shot dead in dorm room at University of Colorado - Colorado Springs: authorities

ByEmily Shapiro ABCNews logo
Monday, February 19, 2024
2 found shot dead in Colorado college dorm room: authorities
A University of Colorado dorm shooting left two people dead, authorities said. The UCCS shooting victims have not been publicly identified.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A man and a woman have been found shot dead in a dorm room at the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, authorities said.

The campus dispatch center received a call of shots fired just before 6 a.m. Friday, Colorado Springs police said. Campus officers responded to the dorm room and found two people dead from gunshot wounds, police said.

"This incident does not appear to be a murder-suicide and both deaths are being investigated as homicides," police said in an update Friday evening. "We are continuing to develop and follow investigative leads and will provide additional information when it becomes available."

Colorado Springs police still believe it is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community, officials confirmed to ABC News.

One of the victims was identified as 24-year-old Samuel Knopp of Parker, Colorado. He was a registered student at UCCS. The other victim, 26-year-old Celie Montgomery, was not currently a registered student at UCCS.

The campus lockdown was lifted on Friday, a university spokesperson said, however, classes were canceled through Monday, but the campus would be open for a "Day of Healing."

"We are in shock as we process this tragic loss of two lives," university Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said at a news conference. "My heart is broken for the victims of today's senseless violence."

"While the coroner will make the official determination of cause and manner of death, these deaths are being investigated as a homicide," police said in a statement.

"We are in the very early stages of piecing together what happened," police said. "We are working diligently and looking at every possibility."

ABC News' Amanda Morris contributed to this report.