Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of 2 people that took place in a dorm room at University of Colorado campus in Colorado Springs.
Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, Michigan was arrested Monday morning in Colorado Springs and faces two counts of first-degree murder. Police said they have been looking for Jordan since a warrant for his arrest was signed on Friday.
“Investigative efforts continue to indicate this was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university,” police said in a statement.
Further details surrounding Jordan’s involvement have not been made public by police as of Monday afternoon. It is only known that Jordan and Knopp were dorm roommates.
Officers with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) Police Department were called around 6 a.m. Friday after a report of a shooting at Crestone House, a dormitory located on the campus. Police found a man and woman dead in a room.
The Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Coroner’s Office have identified the victims as Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, Colorado, and Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, Colorado.
The investigation of the case was taken over by the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Homicide Unit. While the investigation is still ongoing, authorities posted on Facebook that the incident doesn’t appear to be a murder-suicide and both deaths are being investigated as homicides.
“While acknowledging the difficulty of the situation and the withholding of information in the initial stages of the investigation, we owe it to the victims and their families to deliver accountability and justice for this horrific act,” police said in the press release.
“The families are asking for privacy at this difficult time so they can mourn the loss of their loved ones, and we ask that you not contact them,” the release states.
Authorities said after receiving the call, the university was placed on lockdown as police investigated the scene and everyone was ordered on campus to stay sheltered in one place.
The university was reportedly closed over the weekend and classes were canceled Monday to allow students to participate in “a day of healing.”
“I encourage you to set aside time to process the tragic events of this past week, both as an individual and in a group setting,” Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement shared to the university’s website on Sunday.
“As we mourn the loss of Samuel Knopp and Celie Montgomery, my hope is that we will come together as a community, support one another and share in our grief,” the chancellor said. “Please remember that you are not alone.”
Sobanet said, “Knopp was a senior studying music and a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department. He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician.”
She added, “Celie, although she was not a student, will be mourned by our campus community.”
The deaths also come about a week after Mia Brown, a nursing student at the university, died on campus following a medical emergency.
“This has been a difficult week with the loss of Mia Brown, another beloved student, on Monday,” the chancellor added. “I know we are all mourning, so please, remember that you are not alone. The entire Mountain Lion community is here to support you.”
Jordan’s bond was increased to $5 million during his brief court appearance on Tuesday. When Jordan returns to court on Friday, the judge is expected to rule on unsealing the probable cause affidavit.
Anyone with information or who is a witness to this investigation is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.
