Two students identified after murder-suicide at Columbus State University
Four days into a new semester at Columbus State University began with officials investigating a murder-suicide in a campus parking lot.
Columbus officials responded to the main campus of Columbus State University near Lenoir Annex after two deceased bodies were located in a vehicle during the morning hours of August 18, 2023.
Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan says the incident is a domestic-related murder-suicide. A female, identified as 20-year-old Gisela Pierce, of Los Angeles, California, was shot and located inside a vehicle. She was pronounced dead at 10:40 A.M. and is the murder victim.
The male, identified as 25-year-old Nathaniel Janik, of Columbus, Georgia, was found on the ground against the vehicle tires with a gunshot wound. Janik was pronounced dead at 10:40 A.M. Janik died by suicide.
The university said in an update on social media, “There is no continuing threat following today’s gun-related incident.”
University police officials and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation are continuing their investigation.
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