Our View: University of Idaho in mourning

The community has been in shock since the murders of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. These four students’ deaths have changed the lives of everyone in Moscow. 

For University of Idaho students, this is a situation many of us have never faced before, leaving some unable to process. It’s important to remember that everyone will deal with this tragedy differently. We need to be there for fellow students and community members and support each other as all of us traverse through this difficult time together. 

On top of the difficulty of facing this tragedy, a lot of students don’t feel safe in Moscow. This led to many students leaving for fall break early; a decision supported by the university. For those who stayed in Moscow, it has been difficult to see so many students disappear from campus.  

Going to class has been difficult as they are mostly empty rooms. However, the university has understood this and has been making headway to provide everyone with counseling, allowing them to feel supported.   

This tragedy has impacted not just UI but our entire state. With vigils being held at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene and Boise State University in Boise. People in Moscow are scared and confused, but it helps to see an outpouring of support from other students across the state.  

Moscow is a small community; if you didn’t know any of the four, you probably knew someone who did. Everyone is feeling the impact of this.  

With Moscow being such a small community, that also means word of mouth travels quickly. While discussing the tragedy, it’s important to not speculate about what happened. This isn’t just a true crime case and shouldn’t be treated as such. These were four of our peers who had touched the lives of many in Moscow before their deaths.  

 It can be difficult, but we have to let the police complete their investigation and be careful to share facts that are official. Speculating and spreading rumors does nothing but hurt the whole community, especially the victim’s families. A lot of this speculation is coming due to a lack of information from city and county officials. This can feel disheartening; as a community, we want to know what is going on.

Our community and the Moscow Police Department weren’t well equipped to handle a situation like this when it comes to dispensing information. The MPD has been working hard, and just because their communications haven’t been great, it doesn’t mean they’re not working. 

The most important thing to remember in all of this is to be there for one another. Things can be scary and confusing, but as long as we are able to support our community we will make it through this. This is a hard time for everyone, even if you didn’t know these people it’s still okay to feel what happened.

In this difficult time, it has been heartwarming to see the outpouring of support for Moscow and all of us at the Argonaut. While we are reporters, we are also students here, so this has been doubly tough for us. We appreciate everyone who has taken the time to reach out. Reporting on death is never easy, especially when it affects us so personally, so we thank you all for your support. 

Students in need of support can reach out to the Counseling and Testing Center either in person, over the phone or Zoom.  

The University of Idaho’s Safe Walk program can be reached at 208-885-HELP for those who may need an escort on campus. 

The Editorial Board can be reached at [email protected]