Fear and sadness are present on a mostly vacant campus in Idaho after the murders.

In an average year, University of Idaho students would be rushing between classrooms and the library as they prepared for “dead week,” the pre-finals cramming session.

Blaine Eckles, the university’s dean of students, said that only about half of the students were present on Wednesday because they choose to stay at home and attend their lessons online rather than travel back to the area where four of their classmates were murdered. Some of the attendees relied on security personnel employed by the institution to transport them to their classes since they didn’t want to traverse campus by themselves.

Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Xana Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington, were all stabbed to death. The Moscow Police Department has not yet identified a person of interest in their deaths. Chapin was spending the night at the rental house where the three ladies shared a residence, which was located across from the university.

They were probably sleeping when they were assaulted, according to a county coroner. Two weeks later, detectives have not yet located the murder weapon, which is thought to have been a military-style knife, or explained why they believe the deaths were “targeted.”

The institution and the nearby tiny rural town are still reeling from the tragedy.

My heart is really torn when we lose any kids, particularly in these circumstances, said Eckles. “Knowing that something this awful can happen in our neighborhood, which is quite safe in general, shocks you to your core a little bit,” one person said.

Governmental organizations and people of the community are now looking for solutions and attempting to alleviate the harm as students and professors struggle to make their way through a maze of sorrow and terror.

Last Monday, Governor Brad Little said he would use up to $1 million in state emergency funding for the probe. In addition to the 44 FBI agents investigating the investigation, half of whom are based in Moscow, the Idaho State Police has 20 detectives and 15 troopers assisting with neighborhood patrols.

To help the relatives and family of the killed kids, several community members organized online fundraising efforts. A university alumna started a fund-raising campaign to provide women students with portable personal safety alarms. According to Boise news station KTVB, by last Friday Kerry Uhlorn had raised more than $18,000, purchased more than 700 of the alarms, and planned to purchase another 900.

With other parallel candlelight vigils planned around the state, thousands of people were anticipated to join the university community in sadness on Wednesday evening. In a show of unity, the school districts in Meridian and Boise both made plans to simultaneously illuminate their sporting fields.

How can teachers and students concentrate on studying while four friends are missing and a murderer is on the loose? is still an open issue. According to Eckles, staff members are speaking with pupils one-on-one on how to manage the situation.

“You know, the big, ugly elephant in the room. That’s challenging,” Eckles added. Our faculty is also very aware of how difficult it will be for pupils to focus and concentrate during this time. As a result, they are leading with a lot of grace and patience. And to be really honest, I believe that also applies to our staff and students.

There has been an increase in calls to local law enforcement organizations about suspicious activity.

The Moscow Police Department said in a letter dated November 27 that they “understand there is a feeling of insecurity in our community.” The number of individuals asking for welfare checks, in which an officer is sent to check on a person’s health, has increased since the murders.

According to Eckles, the number of individuals phoning the university’s “Vandal Care” hotline to say that they were having problems or were concerned that someone else was having problems has increased.

No one is at ease until that occurs, he said, “even though I myself am extremely optimistic that the police will put an end to (the fatalities).” Four of our Vandals were killed, and we don’t know who did it; there’s someone out there. We have no idea where they are.

The vigils, Eckes said, may provide some momentary solace, but the neighborhood won’t “ultimately be able to heal until someone is brought to justice for this atrocity.”

It was anticipated that some of the victims’ families would show up to the vigils.

Miniechat

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