The quiet atmosphere around the University of Washington’s off-campus housing complex was shattered late Sunday night when police discovered a 19-year-old student stabbed to death inside a laundry room, launching a frantic manhunt for a suspect authorities say should be considered armed and dangerous.

Investigators say the victim, a transgender woman enrolled at the University of Washington, was found inside the Nordheim Court housing complex around 10:10 p.m. on May 10. Officers with the Seattle Police Department and emergency medical crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a stabbing, but despite desperate lifesaving efforts, the young woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The killing has left students, faculty and members of Seattle’s LGBTQIA+ community shaken as police continue searching for the man believed responsible.

According to authorities, the suspect fled shortly after the attack and remains at large. Police described him as a Black male with a beard, approximately 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8 inches tall, wearing blue jeans, a button-up shirt and a vest at the time of the stabbing.

Detectives warned the public not to approach him.

“This individual just committed a homicide; they should be considered armed and dangerous,” Seattle Police Detective Eric Muñoz told local media while discussing the ongoing investigation. “It’s important we catch them and bring them to justice as fast as we can.”

The victim’s identity has not yet been publicly released as officials work to notify her family. Police confirmed only that she was believed to be a 19-year-old transgender woman attending the university.

The attack unfolded inside Nordheim Court, a large apartment-style housing complex used by University of Washington students. The complex sits several miles from the university’s main campus and houses hundreds of students during the academic year.

Residents described an atmosphere of fear and confusion in the immediate aftermath of the killing.

Shortly after the stabbing, students living at the complex received emergency alerts instructing them to shelter in place, lock their doors and avoid leaving their apartments while officers searched the area for the suspect.

Many students said they watched police vehicles flood the property while crime scene tape surrounded parts of the complex late into the night.

Some residents reported hearing shouting and seeing officers move quickly through hallways and common areas as investigators searched for evidence and attempted to determine whether the suspect was still nearby.

Authorities later lifted the shelter-in-place order, though detectives stressed the investigation remained active and the suspect had not yet been captured.

The circumstances leading up to the stabbing remain unclear.

Investigators have not publicly said whether the victim knew her attacker or whether the encounter appeared random. Police also have not disclosed what may have motivated the violence.

Still, the case has already sparked deep concern across campus, particularly among transgender students and LGBTQIA+ organizations who say the killing has intensified fears about violence targeting vulnerable communities.

University of Washington President Robert Jones addressed the tragedy in a statement expressing condolences to the victim’s loved ones and acknowledging the emotional impact the killing may have on students.

“There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student,” Jones said.

He also noted that violence affecting transgender people can be especially traumatic for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“While investigators have not yet identified a suspect or a motive, I want to recognize that when violence affects a trans person it can be especially worrying to our LGBTQIA+ community members,” he said.

Students gathered near the housing complex Monday to mourn the victim and support one another as news of the killing spread across campus.

Several students described feeling unsafe returning to common areas inside the apartment complex, especially late at night.

Others questioned whether additional security measures should be implemented at student housing facilities.

The University of Washington has not yet announced whether it plans to increase patrols or security presence around Nordheim Court, though university officials said they are cooperating fully with Seattle police investigators.

Meanwhile, homicide detectives and forensic investigators spent hours processing the crime scene.

Police said evidence technicians examined the laundry room and surrounding areas overnight, collecting potential forensic evidence and reviewing surveillance footage from the property.

Authorities believe the suspect fled immediately after the stabbing, though they have not released details about how he may have escaped or whether investigators have identified a possible vehicle connected to the case.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to formally identify the victim in the coming days and determine the exact cause and manner of death.

As the search continues, community advocates say the case highlights the broader issue of violence against transgender individuals across the country.

According to national advocacy organizations, transgender women — particularly young transgender women — face disproportionately high rates of violent crime and homicide.

While investigators have not labeled the killing a hate crime, activists say the tragedy has reignited painful conversations about safety, discrimination and fear within the transgender community.

Friends and classmates of the victim have already begun sharing tributes online, remembering her as kind, intelligent and full of promise.

Some students left flowers and handwritten notes outside Nordheim Court, creating a small memorial near the building entrance.

“She deserved to feel safe here,” one note read. “We will not forget her.”

The homicide has also renewed scrutiny over security at off-campus student housing complexes, where students often move freely through shared spaces such as laundry rooms, parking garages and hallways.

Residents at Nordheim Court said the laundry facility where the victim was discovered is frequently used late at night by students balancing classes, jobs and studying.

Some students said they now feel anxious using those spaces alone.

Police have urged anyone with information about the suspect or the stabbing to contact investigators immediately.

Detectives are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who may have seen suspicious activity around the housing complex Sunday night or who may recognize the suspect description released by authorities.

Investigators also continue reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and traffic cameras in hopes of tracing the suspect’s movements before and after the killing.

For many students, however, the focus remains on mourning a young life cut tragically short.

The victim had only recently entered adulthood and was pursuing her education at one of the nation’s leading public universities when her life ended violently inside what should have been a safe living environment.

Now, as police continue their search for answers, classmates and community members are left grappling with grief, fear and unanswered questions surrounding a killing that has shaken the University of Washington community to its core.

Authorities have not announced any arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing.