PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Two UW-Platteville students have died following an incident at Wilgus Hall on Monday, May 19.
In an email sent to campus, UW-Platteville Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich said, “It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of two UW-Platteville students, Kelsie Martin, 22, of Beloit, Wisconsin, and Hallie Helms, 22, of Baraboo, Wisconsin. This incident was a targeted and isolated event between the two individuals. Families of the students have been notified.”
Investigation at UW-Platteville
What we know:
According to a Pioneer Alerts text, students were urged to avoid Wilgus Hall around 4 p.m. on Monday. People on campus were asked to shelter in place, or avoid campus if they are in the area. That shelter in place order was lifted, and officials said there was no active threat to the campus community.
Emergency responders remained on the scene to provide assistance.
Officials indicated campus police were in charge of the investigation at the site.
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According to the UW-Platteville calendar, students started final exams on Monday. Commencement was on Saturday, May 17.
UW-Platteville canceled the remaining final exams and scheduled assessments through the end of the week.
The campus will remain open.
Officials respond
What they’re saying:
A press conference was held with UW-Platteville administrators and law enforcement, but little information on the incident was shared. Police did say there was a medical transport.
UW-Platteville provided the following from the conference:
Chief Joeseph Hallman, UW-Platteville University Police:
“At just before 4 p.m. this afternoon, a 911 call was received indicating a situation in Wilgus Hall, a residence hall. It was determined it was not an active, ongoing threat. Emergency personnel responded immediately. We activated our safety protocol and alerted campus to shelter in place. We were assisted by City Police, Grant County Sheriff Department, and emergency management officials. First and foremost, our concern is for our students and their safety. The shelter in place was cleared just after 5:00, when we confirmed this was an isolated incident. This is an ongoing investigation, and we cannot comment on any specific details at this time. The situation is very fluid.”
Dr. Laura Reynolds, Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs:
“As Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, I have canceled all remaining scheduled final exams for this term. This extends to the entire Platteville campus as well as our Baraboo campus. Because we are a close-knit community, we feel this is in the best interest of our faculty, staff and students.”
Additionally, Gov. Tony Evers was made aware of the situation.
Helping students
What you can do:
UW-Platteville set up a toll-free informational and emotional support line at 844-602-6680 or 720-727-0004, staffed by mental health professionals. The line will be available overnight from Monday into Tuesday, with hours of operation adjusted as needed based on demand.
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Students can also access counseling through Mantra’s Care Hub at any time, and University Counseling will be offering triage counseling Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
FOX6 News will update this post when more information is available.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Platteville Police Department as well as our news partners in Madison.
