Key Points
- Seattle police are investigating a homicide after a student was stabbed late on Sunday night at University of Washington housing in Seattle.
- The incident was reported at Nordheim Court Apartments, building 7, at 5000 25th Avenue Northeast, near the University of Washington campus.
- UW police officers responded at about 10:10 p.m. and found a deceased victim in a laundry room.
- Police and Seattle Fire Department crews attempted lifesaving treatment, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
- The King County Medical Examiner will identify the victim in the coming days.
- Investigators are searching for a suspect described as a Black male, about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a beard, wearing a button-up shirt, a dark blue vest and blue jeans.
- Anyone with information is being asked to contact the Seattle Police Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000, and anonymous tips are accepted.
Seattle police (Evening Washington News) May 11, 2026, said detectives were investigating a homicide at University of Washington housing after a student was stabbed at Nordheim Court Apartments in the University District late on Sunday night.
According to the Seattle Police Department, UW police officers responded at about 10:10 p.m. to a stabbing at Nordheim Court, located at 5000 25th Avenue Northeast, where officers found a deceased victim in a laundry room. Emergency crews from the Seattle Fire Department also attempted lifesaving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives from the Homicide and Crime Scene Investigation Units were then called in to process the scene and lead the inquiry.
Police said the circumstances leading up to the killing remain under investigation. At the time of the initial reports, authorities were still working to confirm the victim’s identity, with the King County Medical Examiner set to take custody of the body and formally identify the deceased in the coming days.
How are police describing the suspect?
Seattle police said investigators are actively searching for a suspect believed to be a Black male with a beard, approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall. He is described as wearing a vest over a button-up shirt and blue jeans.
A KIRO 7 report said police also described the suspect as slim and with black hair, while KOMO News reported that the suspect was believed to be 25 to 30 years old.
FOX 13 Seattle similarly reported that authorities were treating the suspect as armed and dangerous, and that investigators did not believe he was a student. Seattle police asked anyone who sees the suspect to call 911 and urged the public to share information through the Violent Crimes Tip Line.
What have officials said about the victim?
At the time of the Seattle Police Department’s first statement, the victim had not yet been publicly identified, because formal confirmation rests with the King County Medical Examiner.
KIRO 7 reported that officers found a 19-year-old woman in the apartment building’s laundry room. FOX 13 Seattle later reported that investigators believed the victim was a student at the university.
Another report said Seattle Police Detective Eric Muñoz described the victim as
“believed to be a 19-year-old transgender female,”
though police were still working through the early stages of the investigation. Because the case remained active, officials continued to avoid releasing more personal details until the medical examiner completes the identification process.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Police said Seattle detectives assumed investigative authority after UW officers secured the area. The Homicide and Crime Scene Investigation Units were at the scene processing evidence and reviewing the circumstances that led to the stabbing.
KOMO News reported that the university said the death was reported at 10:20 p.m., and that by 10:40 p.m. the case had shifted from a death investigation to a homicide investigation. FOX 13 Seattle reported that the university and police were jointly working to locate the suspect and that a shelter-in-place order was later lifted. As of the latest reports, the investigation was still ongoing and no arrest had been announced.
What did the media reports say?
As reported by Seattle Police in its official blotter entry, detectives are investigating a homicide at University of Washington housing after officers found a deceased victim inside Nordheim Court Apartments.
KIRO 7 reported that the victim was found in a laundry room and that police were still seeking answers about what happened before the stabbing.
KOMO News reported that the victim was a woman found dead in the laundry room and that the suspect was still being sought by police.
FOX 13 Seattle reported that investigators believed the suspect was armed and dangerous, and that he was not believed to be a student. An AOL report quoting Seattle Police Detective Eric Muñoz said the victim was believed to be a 19-year-old transgender female.
Background of the development
Nordheim Court Apartments is a University of Washington housing complex in Seattle’s University District, and the area is closely associated with student accommodation and campus life.
The current case is a homicide investigation, which means detectives are now treating the death as a criminal act rather than an unexplained fatality.
The involvement of both UW police and Seattle Police reflects the usual division of responsibilities when an incident begins on university-controlled property and then becomes a city-led criminal investigation.
The Medical Examiner’s office is expected to provide the official identification of the victim before broader details are confirmed publicly.
Prediction: how could this affect students and the campus community?
For students and residents at the University of Washington, the immediate effect is likely to be heightened concern about safety in campus housing and shared residential spaces. Police visibility, increased communication from the university and continued investigative activity are likely while detectives look for the suspect.
For the wider campus community, the case may prompt closer attention to security procedures, access control and emergency reporting inside student housing. The investigation could also affect how residents use shared areas such as laundry rooms and common spaces until police say the suspect has been found.
