Andrea Rodriguez Avila Obituary, Death – Rice University experienced a tragic start to the fall semester when a student was found shot to death in her dorm room, with the suspected shooter, a man believed to be her boyfriend, also dead from an apparent suicide. This incident led the university to cancel classes for a second day on Tuesday. The shooting occurred on Monday, which was supposed to be the first day of the fall semester, but classes and all activities were called off for the rest of the day.
The university has identified the student as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland. Concern arose when one of her relatives contacted the university for a welfare check after being unable to reach her. University police then discovered that Avila had not attended her classes on Monday, prompting them to check her dorm room at Jones College, where they made the grim discovery around 4:30 p.m.
Avila was found shot to death, and the man believed to be responsible for the shooting also appeared to have taken his own life. This man, who has yet to be identified, is not a student at Rice University. University police reported finding a note at the scene, which is thought to have been left by the shooter. According to Clemente Rodriguez of the Rice University police, the note largely discussed their relationship, which seemed to be experiencing difficulties at the time.
Police believe the man entered the dorm as a guest, accompanied by Avila. Jones College, where the incident occurred, is one of Rice University’s 11 residential colleges. The university’s president, Reginald DesRoches, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, noting the impact it must have on the community, especially from the perspective of a parent of a former Rice student.
In a message to the Rice community, President DesRoches said that while classes are canceled on Tuesday, the campus remains open, and he encourages students to come together to mourn the loss. Counseling services are being offered to those who need support during this difficult time.
The incident also highlights the importance of addressing issues related to domestic violence. Authorities remind the community that if anyone finds themselves in a domestic violence situation, they can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or the Houston Area Women’s Center at 713-528-2121 for support and assistance.