The three people shot early Thursday morning near Colorado State University were ambushed by a man after they were dropped off by a ride-share service, Fort Collins Police Chief Terry Jones said.
“There were people who were dropped off,” Jones said. “The driver dropped them off and drove away before the shooting started.”
Two of the people who were shot died: Tristian Kemp, 26, of Destin, Fla., and 22-year-old Savannah McNealy, a senior at CSU. The third victim, a woman, was taken to Medical Center of the Rockies for treatment.
The Larimer County Coroner identified the shooter as Michael A. Zamora, 30. He died from a single gunshot to the head.
“Right now we don’t know what the motive was,” Jones said in a phone interview Friday morning. “We’re not ruling out a love triangle.”
The victim being treated for her wounds is expected to survive, Jones said.
, just west of CSU. Students told the Collegian on-campus newspaper they heard about 10 gunshots.
Police spokeswoman Kate Kimble said Zamora and the three victims socialized together in the hours before the shooting, but did not take a ride share with them. “A short time after they arrived at the apartment complex, investigators believe the suspect shot the victims and, ultimately, himself.”
Police recovered two rifles and a handgun registered to Zamora at the scene.
Zamora was a in Wyoming, 60 miles north of Fort Collins, the base said. In a statement, the base said Zamora was off-duty when the shooting happened. He had served in the Air Force for more than 8 years.
Jones said detectives are working intensively to figure out why the shooting happened.
“We want to know what happened so we can bring it back to the families,” he said. “We’re trying to piece it together.”
One piece of the equation is that the three victims had called ride-sharing company, either Uber or Lyft, at a time when many restaurants or nightclubs are closing, Jones said.
“When you are talking that time of the morning, several restaurants, bars and nightclubs are closing. It’s dark. It’s night-time,” he said. It’s a more precarious time of the night.”
McNealey was the only person involved in the incident who was affiliated with CSU.
Jones called the shooting catastrophic for the families who are involved. He said the shooting is devastating to the young woman who was shot and survived.
“My heart goes out to all of the people,” Jones said. “It’s very sad. Lives are eliminated and destroyed and they have to live with this the rest of their lives.”
On Thursday night, CSU President Tony Frank mourned the death of in an email to students, faculty and staff. McNealy was an art major who would have graduated in December. She worked Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation,
She also is credited with developing the idea and , the orange stripe leading to the new on-campus football stadium.
“I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Savannah personally, but I have talked this afternoon with others who did…and she sounds like an exceptional, bright, energetic, confident, and creative young woman. She was clearly loved as a friend and daughter,” Frank wrote.
A vigil for McNealy is set for 4 p.m. Friday near the Ram Walk.
The university also is offering walk-in counseling support until 3:30 p.m. Friday in the Cherokee Park Room of Lory Student Center. Students may also phone an on-call counselor during business hours at 970-491-6053 and with an after-hours (evenings, night, weekends) counselor at 970-491-7111, Frank said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
