Grand Valley State University police investigating suspicious death on campus
ALLENDALE, MI Dec 14 2020— A runner found a body on the Grand Valley State University campus and police are investigating the death as suspicious.
The body was discovered near the intermural athletic fields, south of West Campus Drive, on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 12.
GVSU President Philomena Mantella later Saturday, in a written statement to the campus community, said the person was a student.
“This is heartbreaking news for our entire community. I offer my deepest condolences to the student’s family and friends,” she wrote.
She said police were “aggressively investigating this incident.”
“I want to assure you that we have every resource devoted to the investigation and in support of our campus community,” Mantella wrote.
GVSU earlier Saturday issued an alert about the death to students and faculty.
An investigation is underway by the GVSU Police Department, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police.
Mantella said that GVSU police will have additional staff working on campus for the remainder of the weekend and that GVSU Counseling Center staff were ready to provide assistance to anyone in need.
“This is a jarring and shocking event for all of us,” she wrote. “This tragedy reminds us of the importance of each member of our university community. Please keep the student’s family in your thoughts and offer your support to those who have lost a friend and fellow student.”
Anyone with information about the death is asked to call GVSU police at 616-331-3255 or Silent Observer at 877-887-4536.
