Melvin Rowland, a registered sex offender and suspect in murder of Lauren McCluskey, found dead inside Salt Lake City church
After a police chase, the suspect wanted for the death of a University of Utah student was found dead inside a Salt Lake City church, authorities announced early Tuesday morning.
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| Police arrested Melvin Rowland, 37, as a suspect in the shooting death of a University of Utah student on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018. |
Melvin Rowland, a register sex offender, fatally shot a female student he had a "previous relationship" with on Monday, according to University of Utah Police Lt. Brian Wahlin. The student's body was found around 9 p.m. in a car on campus.
BREAKING: @UUtah identifies Lauren McCluskey as the victim in last night’s deadly shooting on campus. McCluskey was a student athlete from Pullman, Washington, she was a member of the track and field team. She was a senior majoring in communications. #breaking #ksltv #utah #nbc pic.twitter.com/EIRCVlFT6S— Shara Park (@KSLSharaPark) ٢٣ أكتوبر ٢٠١٨
Monday around 11:40 p.m., campus police announced the area was secure and lifted the school lockdown.
Utah Police Lt. Brian Wahlin said police pursued a tip in the Salt Lake City area and found the suspect identified by the university as Rowland, 37. Police chased him on foot as he ran into the backdoor of a church, and then found him inside the building dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound with the weapon used in the student's death, he said.
"We don't believe there is anymore threat or danger to the public," Wahlin said.
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All University of Utah classes were canceled on Tuesday out of respect for the student who died. Her name will be publicly released Tuesday, campus officials said.
According to the university site Lauren was a highly regarded member of the university’s track and field team and an outstanding scholar, a senior majoring in communication.
In 2004, Rowland was convicted of attempted forcible sexual abuse and enticing a minor, according to Utah's sex offender registry.
Monday’s tragedy was the second deadly shooting at the university since last year. Student Austin Boutain, 24, was arrested in October 2017 after he fatally shot ChenWei Guo, a 23-year-old computer science major.
Boutain plead guilty last month to aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping, according to Salt Lake Tribune. He agreed to be sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Utah Police Lt. Brian Wahlin said police pursued a tip in the Salt Lake City area and found the suspect identified by the university as Rowland, 37. Police chased him on foot as he ran into the backdoor of a church, and then found him inside the building dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound with the weapon used in the student's death, he said.
"We don't believe there is anymore threat or danger to the public," Wahlin said.
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All University of Utah classes were canceled on Tuesday out of respect for the student who died. Her name will be publicly released Tuesday, campus officials said.
SECURE-IN-PLACE LIFTED FOR CAMPUS— University of Utah (@UUtah) ٢٣ أكتوبر ٢٠١٨
Police believe suspect has left campus and is no longer a threat to campus. Continued police activity throughout the night. Please avoid the Medical Towers area. Updates on https://t.co/sMi4tPwuZ7.
According to the university site Lauren was a highly regarded member of the university’s track and field team and an outstanding scholar, a senior majoring in communication.
It is with great sadness that I issue this statement about the death of one of our students last night: https://t.co/FhKFI7PTIZ— Ruth V. Watkins (@RuthVWatkins) ٢٣ أكتوبر ٢٠١٨
In 2004, Rowland was convicted of attempted forcible sexual abuse and enticing a minor, according to Utah's sex offender registry.
Monday’s tragedy was the second deadly shooting at the university since last year. Student Austin Boutain, 24, was arrested in October 2017 after he fatally shot ChenWei Guo, a 23-year-old computer science major.
Boutain plead guilty last month to aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping, according to Salt Lake Tribune. He agreed to be sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.
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