Officials from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington confirmed the deaths of two students in separate incidents. These events occurred within a span of 24 hours.
Emergency services were alerted to Nash Hall at approximately 10:30 p.m. on October 9 following the report of a student falling from the residence hall. The next morning, another student was found unresponsive in Alma Clark Glass Hall, a different dormitory on campus.
According to law enforcement officials, there were “no initial indications of foul play” in either case. They also stated that there appears to be no connection between the two deaths or any ongoing risk to the campus community.
The student who fell from Nash Hall was identified as Micah Mazzuca. Mazzuca, a recent addition to Western Washington University’s student population, was pursuing a double major in music and education. His aim was to become a teacher in high school choir, drama, and English.
The autopsy report identified both students as being 18 years old. The first death was ruled a suicide, caused by the fall from the residence hall. Preliminary investigation suggests the second student, a female, might have died from a drug overdose the previous night, law enforcement officials noted.
University officials referred to these incidents as “heartbreaking events.”
The university, home to roughly 14,747 students and located 21 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border, is providing counseling and wellness resources through the WWU Counseling and Wellness Center and Employee Assistance Program for affected students and staff.
Adding to the toll on the university community, another student, Eric Bachman, died in an off-campus motorcycle accident in October 2024. Christina Liere, Bachman’s mother, was not contacted by the university following her son’s death. The university’s policy is to only notify the campus about off-campus incidents that pose a safety concern or fall within specific geographic parameters.
“The university’s handling of the situation upset Eric’s mother, who was not contacted by the school, and other students who felt the lack of acknowledgment was an injustice to the community,” according to local reports.