The body of a Boston University student was found Wednesday morning at Kilachand Hall on 91 Bay State Rd., BU spokesperson Colin Riley said. The Boston Police Department is investigating the death.
The body belonged to a male student who did not live in Kilachand Hall, Riley said. BU Today reported that a resident assistant notified the BU Police Department and BPD of the body at 8:30 a.m.
In an emailed letter sent to the BU community around 2 p.m., President Robert Brown said the student’s identity would be withheld until an unspecified time out of respect for his family.
“I know that all members of our community will be mindful of the gravity of this loss and respectful of the privacy of a grieving family,” Brown wrote. “We cannot at this time offer additional information about identity or circumstances.”
Charles Dellheim, director of the Kilachand Honors College, and David Zamojski, assistant dean of students and director of Residence Life, sent an email to Kilachand Hall residents earlier in the day, around 12:30 p.m.
“The ninth floor of Kilachand Hall is closed due to the investigation,” the email stated. “The University will release a statement soon and more information will be shared with the community after Boston Police complete their initial investigation.”
Dellheim and Zamojski also offered help to any Kilachand students affected by the incident.
“Crisis counselors are currently available in the Residence Life office at Kilachand Hall if you would like to speak with them,” they wrote. “We understand that word may be spreading about this incident and ask you to call your parents to let them know you are safe and well.”
In his email, Brown offered similar support to the wider BU community.
“As we do when our community experiences tragedy, we are making counseling resources available to any individuals who need assistance, and we strongly encourage people to turn to our experienced counseling and pastoral staff,” he wrote.
Several students said they were stunned by the news. Anne Kim, a freshman in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said she could see the body from her room on the third floor.
“I tried really hard not to look at the body,” Kim said. “I have a lot of things going on, and what happened was very confusing. Some people just woke up and saw the body.”
Alex Li contributed to the reporting of this article.
Note: This is a developing story
