University officials at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington confirmed the deaths of two students in separate incidents within a 24-hour period on October 9 and 10, 2024.
On October 9, around 10:30 p.m., emergency services were summoned to Nash Hall following a student’s fall from the dormitory. The next morning, another student was found unresponsive in Alma Clark Glass Hall, a different campus residence hall.
Police stated there were “no initial indications of foul play” in either incident and that there was no connection between the two deaths or any ongoing threat to the campus community.
The student who fell from Nash Hall was identified as Micah Mazzuca, a recent enrollee at Western Washington University. Mazzuca was a double major in music and education, aspiring to become a high school choir, drama, and English teacher.
Both students were 18 years old, according to the medical examiner. The first death was ruled a suicide following the fall from the residence hall. Meanwhile, preliminary investigations suggest that the second student likely overdosed on drugs the previous night, law enforcement officials stated.
University officials characterized these occurrences as “heartbreaking events.” The institution, located 21 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border, has a student body of about 14,747. In response to the deaths, counseling and wellness resources have been made available for affected students and staff through the WWU Counseling and Wellness Center and Employee Assistance Program.
Respecting the privacy of the students’ families, the university stated that no further details about the deaths will be released until the completion of the investigations.