Student Arrested on Murder Charges After 2 Found Dead in Colorado Dorm

Students look outside their dorm window in the Village at Alpine Valley housing, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, as police investigate a shooting on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)

A student has been taken into custody on murder charges following the tragic deaths of two individuals in a dormitory at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Colorado Springs Police Department confirmed the arrest of Nicholas Jordan, 25, on two counts of first-degree murder. University spokesperson Jenna Press revealed that Jordan was enrolled as a student at the university at the time of the incident.

The victims have been identified as Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, and Samuel Knopp, 24, the latter being a student at the university located approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) south of Denver. Montgomery, however, was not currently enrolled at the institution.

Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, the police’s motor vehicle theft unit located Jordan in a vehicle, leading to his apprehension by the tactical enforcement unit in Colorado Springs. The authorities emphasized that the shooting incident on Friday was not a random attack but rather an “isolated incident” involving individuals who were acquainted with each other. While the cause of death will be determined by the coroner’s office, it was previously reported that each victim had sustained at least one gunshot wound.

The police department received reports of shots fired from the university’s Creston House dormitory early Friday morning, where the two individuals were discovered deceased. Subsequently, a campus-wide lockdown was enforced for 90 minutes, and the university remained closed for the remainder of the day and through the weekend. Classes scheduled for Monday have been canceled, with the university offering walk-in counseling services for students and staff.

Memorial services were held on Monday at the university, which boasts a student population of over 11,000 and nearly 2,000 faculty and staff members. As of now, it remains unknown whether Jordan has legal representation to provide comment on his behalf. Court records pertaining to the case are not yet available, and a hearing date has not been set.