A Hofstra student was killed early Friday morning after an armed man broke into her home and engaged in a gun battle with the police, the authorities said. The man who forced his way into the home was also killed.
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It was not immediately clear who fired the fatal shots, the police said.
The violence occurred at the home at 213 California Avenue, in Uniondale, N.Y., just blocks from Hofstra University.
A man with a ski mask forced his way into the home, where three women and a man were staying, the police said.
“The suspect let one of the female victims leave the home during the robbery and she immediately called 911,” said Deputy Inspector Kenneth Lack of the Nassau County Police Department.
He said the police were called at 2:29 a.m. and arrived soon after.
“Shortly after our arrival a shooting took place where the suspect is killed and one of the female victims are killed,” he said.
The police have not released the identity of the student, a young woman, or the man who was killed.
Victoria Dehel, who lives four houses away, told The Associated Press that she had heard what sounded like fighting. At first, she ignored it, figuring it might have been rowdy students coming home from a bar.
Suddenly, “This girl was shrieking,” she said, and loud bangs followed just seconds later.
“It didn’t sound good at all,” Ms. Dehel said. “I turned to my boyfriend and I said, ‘I think someone just got murdered.’ It was awful.”
In a statement, Hofstra University said: “A Hofstra student was killed during a tragic crime which took place in a rental house off campus. The police investigation is ongoing, and we do not yet know all of the relevant details. What we do know is that a young member of the Hofstra family has been taken from us in a senseless act of violence. Our hearts and minds and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, her friends, and her classmates.”
University officials said commencement ceremonies would go on as scheduled this weekend.
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It was not immediately clear who fired the fatal shots, the police said.
The violence occurred at the home at 213 California Avenue, in Uniondale, N.Y., just blocks from Hofstra University.
A man with a ski mask forced his way into the home, where three women and a man were staying, the police said.
“The suspect let one of the female victims leave the home during the robbery and she immediately called 911,” said Deputy Inspector Kenneth Lack of the Nassau County Police Department.
He said the police were called at 2:29 a.m. and arrived soon after.
“Shortly after our arrival a shooting took place where the suspect is killed and one of the female victims are killed,” he said.
The police have not released the identity of the student, a young woman, or the man who was killed.
Victoria Dehel, who lives four houses away, told The Associated Press that she had heard what sounded like fighting. At first, she ignored it, figuring it might have been rowdy students coming home from a bar.
Suddenly, “This girl was shrieking,” she said, and loud bangs followed just seconds later.
“It didn’t sound good at all,” Ms. Dehel said. “I turned to my boyfriend and I said, ‘I think someone just got murdered.’ It was awful.”
In a statement, Hofstra University said: “A Hofstra student was killed during a tragic crime which took place in a rental house off campus. The police investigation is ongoing, and we do not yet know all of the relevant details. What we do know is that a young member of the Hofstra family has been taken from us in a senseless act of violence. Our hearts and minds and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, her friends, and her classmates.”
University officials said commencement ceremonies would go on as scheduled this weekend.