Colorado State University reminds staff and students of counseling services available after tragic week, releases photo of murder victim

Note to Editors: A high resolution, print quality photograph of Matt Quitmeyer is available by visiting newsinfo.colostate.edu and clicking on the headline for this release or contacting Dell Rae Moellenberg at dellrae.moelleberg@colostate.edu or 970-491-6009.

Colorado State University Police Department is today releasing a photograph of Matt Quitmeyer, the 27-year-old Fort Collins resident who was found dead from gunshot wound on the university’s campus Friday evening.

Quitmeyer did not have a criminal record, according to CSUPD police, and was a former student at Colorado State and Front Range Community College. He attended Front Range over a period of 2000-2005, and completed the Spring 2007 semester at Colorado State before withdrawing in the Fall of 2007. He was in good standing at Colorado State and was studying language, literature and culture.

CSUPD is not releasing any details of its ongoing investigation at this time, but are following promising leads in the investigation. CSUPD also continues to remind the campus and Fort Collins community to remain extra vigilant and to report any suspicious behavior immediately. Anyone with information about Quitmeyer’s death is asked to call CSUPD at 970-491-6425.

In addition, Colorado State University administrators encourage employees and students to access university counseling resources if needed during this difficult time.

Counseling services for colleagues and students are available through the University Counseling Center on campus. Staff is available immediately and into the future to offer grief and trauma support. Students and employees may call 970-491-6053 for an appointment, and the center also offers walk-in service through Hartshorn Health Center on campus. Counselors can travel to people in need of services.

Quitmeyer lived in an apartment building at 914 West Lake Street, which is adjacent to Colorado State’s Summit Hall parking lot where his body was discovered at 11:08 Friday, July 25. His death was ruled a homicide by the Larimer County Coroner’s office on Saturday, July 26th. He was shot once through the chest.

Although CSUPD determined there was no immediate threat or danger to students or guests on campus or residents in the area, throughout the night and day CSUPD and Fort Collins police canvassed the area and maintained a large police presence on the scene. The officers went to residence halls, which are occupied this summer primarily by conference attendees, and off-campus apartments and homes to both notify the neighborhood and seek additional information that could help in the investigation.

CSUPD worked with housing and communications staff to inform summer students, guests and employees about the situation on Saturday morning. A notification of conference organizers for events scheduled in the immediate future has also been made.

CSUPD is continuing to ask those in the community to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious behavior to police. CSUPD and Fort Collins Police Services continue to maintain a large presence on campus and campus security is increased.

CSU Police routinely patrol residence halls 24-hours a day in addition to 24-hour patrols of campus and university property. Residence halls have multiple levels of security and require electronic key cards for access and have 24-hour front desk staff on duty when occupied by students or by conference attendees.

Colorado State University also activated is Student Affairs Hotline for parents of students or conference attendees at 970-491-1000.

Updates and information for the campus community and the public are available at www.colostate.edu.

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