A quiet Sunday night near University Village turned into a crime scene as University of Washington police launched a homicide investigation at Nordheim Court, an off-campus student apartment complex in Seattle. Officers responded to reports of a death at the building and quickly told residents to shelter in place, lock their doors and windows, and stay put while investigators worked the scene. The victim’s name and identifying details have not been released, and the case remains an active homicide investigation. Police say they are searching for a person of interest and are asking anyone with information to contact authorities.
Police response and suspect description
According to KING 5, the UW Police Department responded to Nordheim Court on Sunday night (May 10, 2026) after reports of a death and is treating the incident as a homicide. Officers are looking for a man of interest described as about 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7 with a slim build, black hair and a beard. He may have been wearing a button-up shirt under a dark blue vest and blue jeans. Police secured the complex while detectives conducted interviews and forensic work, according to the outlet.
Students report sheltering in place
Residents did not have to guess that something serious was unfolding. Several students posted that they were sheltering in their apartments as officers continued to work the scene. Posts on Reddit describe the area as taped off and say people were being told to remain indoors. Those firsthand accounts echoed and amplified the urgency of official shelter-in-place instructions.
Where it happened
Nordheim Court is a student housing complex in the University District. UW Housing & Food Services lists the building at 5000 25th Ave NE, near University Village. The complex serves the campus population and is familiar territory for many UW students, which helps explain the strong reaction on campus as word of the homicide spread. Local debates over student housing and campus safety are likely to sharpen once investigators release more details.
What authorities are asking
UW Police are urging anyone who has information or who sees someone matching the described person of interest to call 911 immediately so tips can reach investigators while the case is active. No arrests or charges have been announced, and officials say more details will be released when appropriate, according to KING 5.
