Police in Moscow, Idaho, have said that they cannot guarantee the safety of the town after the deadly stabbings of four students from the University of Idaho.
On Wednesday, Moscow Police Chief James Fry provided an update, claiming that two more housemates had been there at the time of the murders but had not been hurt or kept hostage. Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, Fry said, were at a party on campus; Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, meanwhile, were in a pub in the city’s center.
After about 1:45 a.m., the four friends returned to their residence. temporal zone, Fry explained. “sometime in the early morning hours of Sunday, November 13,” Fry added, referring to the day of their murders.
The first 911 call didn’t come in until Sunday around noon. Fry did not specify which of the two persons there at the time of the shooting and the subsequent police response had dialed 911. Fry also wouldn’t comment on whether or not the two had contact with law enforcement.
We won’t go any farther into the extent of their knowledge, he added.
In his defense, he did specify that the caller reported an unconscious individual, not someone with a knife wound.
The chief also said that there were no signs of a forced entrance. A knife was used to murder all four victims, as stated by Fry, however no knife has been found.
As of Wednesday evening, there is neither identify nor whereabouts of a suspect, Fry said.
Fry urged residents to “be watchful, report any suspicious activities, and be aware of your surroundings at all times” because “we cannot guarantee there is no danger to the neighborhood.”
Just one day prior to Fry’s statements, the Moscow Police Department issued a press release saying there was no danger to the public and that evidence led detectives to think this was a “targeted strike.”
College town on edge following murders
Moscow, Idaho, is a population of around 25,000 people who have been frustrated by the recent homicides and the lack of information about them. According to state police statistics, the last homicide in the college town occurred in 2015. Deputy Scott Mikolajczyk of the Latah County sheriff’s office told the Idaho Statesman that residents are “running out of Dodge” due to fear.
On Wednesday, the father of one of the victims made a statement demanding that authorities provide more details about the murders.
Jim Chapin, Ethan’s father, stated in the statement, “There is a lack of information from the University of Idaho and the local police, which further encourages false tales and innuendo in the news and social media.” After the murder of our son, the silence has only made our pain worse. I implore the authorities to tell the truth, provide the information they have, track down the killer, and secure the safety of the whole town in honor of Ethan and his three murdered companions in Moscow, Idaho, and all of our families.
In a statement released on Monday, Scott Green, president of the University of Idaho, expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims and affirmed the police assessment that there was no danger to the community.
According to the early inquiry, “Moscow police do not feel there is a continuing community danger,” but “we encourage our personnel to be compassionate, flexible, and work with our students who wish to return home to spend time with their family,” he said. We do not have a schedule for the inquiry at this time, but we will keep the campus informed as new information becomes available.
As the university’s Thanksgiving break approaches, Green said Wednesday that students and staff are encouraged to prioritize their health.
On November 30th, as Blaine Eckles, dean of students at the institution, had said, there will be a candlelight vigil. He indicated the details are still being worked out.
CNN has contacted the school for a statement and further details on the situation.
The public’s little knowledge is gruesome. CNN affiliate KXLY spoke with Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt, who described the horrific sight.
There was a lot of blood in the flat, and it was a horrible sight to discover four dead college students in a house, she added.
Autopsies are scheduled to take place soon, and according to Mabbutt, they may provide light on what transpired.
Mabbutt speculated that “any evidence of the suspect that we acquire during the autopsy may be, you know, some proof of the suspect that would be beneficial.”
