Last month, four girls attending the University of Idaho were murdered in the middle of the night in an off-campus house. The murders remain unresolved and police have been sending confusing updates and information about the killings, leaving parents and students extremely concerned.

A recent report published by CNN reveals that the Moscow Police said they are looking into the possibility that one of the victims may have had a stalker. Police have yet to identify a suspect or find a murder weapon. 

Despite the police’s affirmation that the student body’s safety is not under threat, the murders prompted the majority of students to leave campus early for Thanksgiving break. The student evacuations prompt suspicion from the public. Were the police assuring statements to please the public or is there a much larger concern at hand? 

In a news release, the Moscow police stated that there was “no imminent threat to the community at large”. In a proceeding conference, the police department backtracked by saying they were unsure if the students and the public would be at risk.

Later on, this confusion further manifested in an Idaho Latah County prosecutor’s statement saying that at least one of the suspects was “undoubtedly targeted”. In response to this false statement, the police claimed that this was a “miscommunication” and that police don’t currently know if the victims were targeted. 

Following another contradicting statement, the police go back to square one to say “We remain consistent in our belief that this was a targeted attack, but investigators have not concluded if the target was the residence or if it was the occupants”. 

The police’s ever-changing information has affected the university students and the victim’s families. With no suspect and no information, the case continues to stay opened, leaving the victim’s families and communities devastated and in mourning. 

With all the confusion about whether this attack was targeted or un-targeted, what reform will be taken to ensure students’ safety? 

The University of Idaho has yet to release a statement about the next steps to protect students at this vulnerable time after these recent deaths. 

Although they have not released a statement or made public safety changes, information not correlating to the murders has been revealed in The Department of Public Safety at the University of Utah. 

An article written by ABC Daily news unlocked details about upcoming changes at the University in response to The 30X30 Pledge, an international movement increasing the representation of women in policing. The Department of Public Safety at the University of Utah has committed to raising the number of female officers in its force. Research recorded in this article shows the underrepresentation of women police officers undermines public safety. 

The university’s lack of conversation tackling the safety concerns after these murders leaves the community hopeful that this representation of women in policing will give families and students a healed, comfortable environment on campus.