Authorities in Seattle are searching for a suspect after a 19-year-old University of Washington student was found dead Sunday night inside a campus-affiliated apartment complex.

Police said the victim, believed to be a transgender woman, was discovered in a laundry room at Nordheim Court Apartments around 10:10 p.m. Officers and firefighters attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say the case is being treated as a homicide, though details surrounding the attack remain unclear.

The suspect is described as a Black man between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8 with a beard and slim build, believed to be between 25 and 30 years old. He was reportedly wearing blue jeans and a button-up shirt with a vest and fled before officers arrived.

“This individual just committed a homicide; they should be considered armed and dangerous,” Seattle Police Detective Eric Munoz said. “If we can provide more information to the public, we will. We don’t believe at this point anyone else is at risk; however, this is still an armed and dangerous homicide suspect. It’s important we catch them and bring them to justice as fast as we can,”

Following the killing, the university issued an emergency alert instructing Nordheim Court residents to remain indoors and lock doors and windows. The shelter-in-place notice was lifted shortly before 1 a.m., though the investigation continued overnight.

Nordheim Court, a UW-affiliated housing complex primarily occupied by students, contains hundreds of apartment units ranging from studios to four-bedroom layouts. Students told local media that buildings and laundry rooms are secured through smartphone-based Bluetooth entry systems. The University of Washington called the incident “deeply distressing” and said counseling and support services are available for students and staff affected by the tragedy.

Seattle police homicide detectives and crime scene investigators continue to process evidence and examine what led up to the killing. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to officially release the victim’s identity, along with the cause and manner of death, in the coming days.

Anyone with information about the suspect or the case is urged to contact the Seattle Police Department Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.

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