A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old University of Washington student on May 10.
The victim has been identified by the King County Medical Examiner's Office as Juniper Blessing, a student at the University of Washington.
Incident
On May 10, at approximately 10:10 p.m., University of Washington police responded to a report of a stabbing at Nordheim Court, a UW residence hall located at 5000 25th Avenue Northeast.
Officers found the victim deceased in a laundry room. The Seattle Fire Department pronounced the victim dead at the scene. The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Juniper Blessing.
Arrest and Suspect
A suspect, a 31-year-old man, surrendered to the Bellevue Police Department at 10:42 p.m. on Wednesday. He was subsequently transferred to Seattle Police Department custody and booked into King County Jail for investigation of murder.
The suspect’s first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Investigation
The Seattle Police Department Homicide and Crime Scene Investigation Units processed the scene. The circumstances leading up to the crime remain under investigation. Authorities have not released details on whether the victim’s identity was a factor in the attack.
Context
According to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, transgender people are over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violent crime.
The Trans Collective at UW issued a statement noting that trans women, particularly trans women of color, are among the populations most vulnerable to violent crimes.