President Daniels on tragedy in residence hall - Office of the President

October 5, 2022

Dear Purdue community members,

I am writing to inform you that one of our students was murdered in his residence hall room this morning. The suspect, the victim’s roommate, called police to report the incident and is in custody.

This is a terrible tragedy that could have occurred on our campus. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who were affected by this horrible event.

We don't have all the details. The Purdue University Police Department is currently conducting an investigation into this incident in order to learn more.

As is always the case, staff from our Office of the Dean of Students, our Residence Halls, and clinicians at Purdue’s Counseling and Psychological Services are providing support and are available to anyone who needs or wants their care.

As Purdue's president and even more as a parent, I can assure you that safety and security are our top priorities. Purdue is an extraordinarily safe place on any given day, and compared with cities of Purdue’s population (approximately 60,000 in all), we experience a tiny fraction of violent and property crime that occurs elsewhere.

These statistics are no consolation for a day such as this. Each of us is deeply affected by the loss of a loved one on campus or within our Purdue family.

I am eternally grateful to you all for taking the time to care about each other. I know you will continue to do so in the coming days.

Sincerely,

Mitch DanielsPresident