On Friday, Sept. 4, University of Guelph student Bradley Traynor was killed in his home alongside three of his other family members in what homicide detectives are calling an apparent murder-suicide.
“This is devastating news; a shocking tragedy that touches and affects us all,” University of Guelph President Charlotte Yates said in a statement released by the University.
According to the statement, Traynor was a third-year bachelor of commerce student majoring in management economics and finance in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.
The lone gunman, 48-year-old Mitchell Lapa, was described as an “uninvited person” to the Traynor household, killing Traynor, two of his siblings, and their father.
Loretta Traynor, Bradley’s mother, was injured but survived the attack, and Sam Traynor, one of Bradley’s siblings, wasn’t home at the time.
Lapa died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Outside the Traynor home, a makeshift memorial continues to grow as family and friends pay their respects.
“Bradley’s future was full of promise and possibilities, and our campus community is mourning this tragic loss,” Yates said.
“We send heartfelt sympathy to Bradley’s surviving family members, to his classmates and instructors at U of G, to his friends and to the Oshawa community and all those who knew him and his family.”
The University’s statement expressed understanding that the incident may impact many community members’ lives, encouraging those who may be affected to use the University’s resources to help them through this difficult time. Such resources were listed as follows:
-Student Counselling Services, Ext. 53244
-Multi-Faith Resource Team, Ext. 58909
-Employee assistance program for faculty and staff, 1-800-265-8310
-Crisis Text Line, text “UofG” to 686868
-International Student Adviser, Ext. 58698
-Good 2 Talk Help Line: 1-866-925-5454
-Here 24/7, 1-844-437-3247
Students were also encouraged to reach out to Carrie Chassels, vice-provost (student affairs) should they need any additional support or resources: viceprovoststudentaffairs@exec.uoguelph.ca