IU student confirmed dead

A female IU student was found dead in her dorm room at about 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Gucker tower of Briscoe Quad, said Keith Cash, IU Police Department chief of police.

Soon after the police were notified, Counseling and Psychological Services arrived at the Briscoe center desk, where they counseled friends and floor mates around the main elevator and in a room behind the center desk.

One woman ran through the front doors and into the lobby at about 3:50 p.m., looking for a friend and was pointed to the back room where others were gathered.

At about 4:30 p.m., two IU employees followed an IUPD officer out of the building. The employees carried pink trash bags filled with what appeared to be bed linens or clothes. One employee was also wearing rubber gloves and carried spray bottles and other cleaning equipment.

Residents and other students relied on things heard from friends and read through emails for information.

“It’s just tragic,” freshman Shane Sperling said.

Sperling said he found out after his friend told him what he knew from an email he received.

“I realize that life is way too short, and the fact that it could end so quickly like that is unimaginable.”

Freshman Kristen Troxell, who lives on the sixth floor of Gucker, said she didn’t know much about what happened but had heard reports about a suicide.

“I was shocked,” Troxell said. “I asked my friend on the seventh floor what happened, and they said they didn’t know much but that she had committed suicide.”

Cash said the police are continuing the investigation.

­— Caitlin Keating, Ryan Dorgan and Alex Benson contributed to this report.