Police increase patrols near University of Michigan campus after medical student's death
University of Michigan and Ann Arbor police have increased patrols in the North Ingalls and Central Campus area after a 25-year-old medical student was found shot to death in his fraternity house Wednesday.
Paul DeWolf
Courtesy photo
DeWolf, a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, was set to graduate from U-M medical school in May. His body was discovered at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in his room in the 200 block of North Ingallls Street, across the street from U-M's medical school and two blocks from Central Campus. DeWolf was a 2010 graduate of Grand Valley State University and a Schoolcraft, Mich., native.
U-M police spokeswoman Diane Brown said police want to increase visibility in the area so residents feel at ease.
"Regardless of where they are assigned, all of our officers over the course of their shifts, throughout 24 hours, will make patrols in this area," she said.
Added Ann Arbor Police Department Lt. Ed Dreslinski: "We don’t have a lot of homicides in this city, so we’re tying to show a presence in the area to help put everybody at ease and maybe we run into something that helps us in our investigation."
Homicides rare at U-M
This is the first homicide of a student on or near campus in at least a decade.
Michael R. Logghe, a former lieutenant and historian with the Ann Arbor Police Department who retired in 2009, said student murders in Ann Arbor are "virtually nonexistent."
"It's an extremely safe campus, an extremely safe city. It's an aberration when it happens," he said. "It's very, very, very rare.... That's why it's so shocking."
U-M homicide investigation continues
Police continue to investigate the death of a U-M medical student
- Autopsy: University of Michigan medical student died from single gunshot wound
- U-M medical student homicide investigation: Ann Arbor neighbors stunned by death
- UPDATED: U-M student found dead in off-campus apartment was 'a talented medical student'
- University of Michigan medical student's death investigated as homicide
- Authorities conduct death investigation at Ann Arbor home
- Cause of death unknown for man found in Ann Arbor home
In 1997, Tamara Williams was killed by her boyfriend in the family housing area of North Campus.
Private gathering planned
The Medical School is holding a private gathering in remembrance of DeWolf, U-M spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said. U-M has not planned a public service yet, she said. A funeral for DeWolf is being planned, an Air Force official said.
The school sent a crime alert email to all students, faculty and staff on Wednesday at 11 p.m., informing them that DeWolf was found dead in his home. On Thursday, U-M police updated their website to reflect that the death is being investigated as a homicide.
"We extend our deepest condolences to Paul’s family, friends and colleagues," U-M President Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement released around 2 p.m. Friday. "He was working and training among a close, nurturing community of healers and I know they will help each other through this difficult time. They will need the support of the broader campus community in the weeks and months ahead, and we will provide it."
U-M Health System CEO Ora Pescovitz updated her blog with a condolence message on Friday.
"The tragic and sudden death of Paul DeWolf has left a senseless and painful void in our Health System community," she wrote. "Paul was a talented medical student, a treasured friend and family member, and an individual who was dedicating his life to helping others. He will be greatly missed by many."
U-M students and staff can receive grief counseling through medical school counselors, the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services program for students and the Employee Assistance Program.
Cunningham said school officials have been at DeWolf's apartment providing "instrumental physical and emotional support to Paul’s family and friends."
Counseling resources
- Office of Medical Student Education’s Class Counselors at (734) 764-0219
- CAPS program for students (734) 764-8312
- Employee Assistance Program at (734) 763-5409.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Ann Arbor Police tip line 734-794-6939, or e-mail TIPS@a2gov.org or Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP.
Correction: This article has been corrected to reflect that in 1999 a woman killed her boyfriend and then killed herself.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
nickcarraweigh
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 12:14 a.m.
A dead body alone in a room with a gunshot to the head in a building where none of many residents heard a gunshot is as pure a mystery as exists. But the past is never over, and it's probably too soon to tell how many student murder victims there've been. How many open missing persons cases are there, adding up all the years?
anti-thug
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 6:31 p.m.
I heard gun shoots many times in Ann Arbor years ago and they sound super loud and disturbing when happen outdoors but course in doors you might here in masons depending on house.
MathGeek
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 1:35 p.m.
Gun shots in real life don't sound like they do on tv or in the movies. I don't know the proximity of neighbors, but it's very feasible that nothing would be heard.
Eep
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 12:23 a.m.
Where are you getting this "to the head" information? I haven't seen anything in any of these stories that indicates the location of the wound.
GoNavy
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 12:13 a.m.
So, should we be worried? I live very near to campus, and I'm wondering if I should be aware of any threats. One wonders if Mr. DeWolfe might have better been able to defend himself had the University Regents not voted to outlaw weapons for defensive purposes on campus. Given that the victim is confirmed to have died of a gunshot wound (and let's be frank, gunshots only come from guns), it's clear that the perpetrator didn't get the memo.
djm12652
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 5:23 p.m.
@Eep...I thought he was in a Fraternity house...either way, so senseless....
Eep
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 4:18 p.m.
@GoNavy - You are certainly correct that the university weapons ordinance could discourage someone with a CPL from carrying while walking around the downtown areas near campus for fear of crossing the line between the city and the university. However, I don't see how the ordinance would discourage a graduate student, living off campus, from keeping a firearm in their off-campus house for self-defense purposes while inside their house. I've known graduate students who live off campus and who own guns - they keep the guns at their off-campus residence without any fear of the university reaching out and grabbing them.
Jaime Magiera
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 2:33 p.m.
"Maybe better for me to leave my handgun at home." Yes, please and thank you.
Mrsfritzmann
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 2:04 p.m.
@GoNavy... Walking from Huron Towers to Espresso Royale doesn't require walking on U property at all. I'm also perplexed as to how the U's policy on firearms has anything to do with this particular case.
GoNavy
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 11:22 a.m.
@Eep: I didn't mean to suggest that Mr. DeWolfe was actually *on* University Property. Rather, my aim was to point out that the differentiation between the laws of the state, and those of the University of Michigan, put law-abiding citizens in a bind when they want to avail themselves of our State's CCW rules and regulations. If you look at a map of downtown Ann Arbor, you'll find that it's near-impossible to go between two different points on the map without crossing University property. For example, say I lived at Huron Towers (on Fuller), and wanted to walk to Espresso Royale (On South University). It's pretty harrowing to stick only to public property on that entire route. Maybe better for me to leave my handgun at home. Come to think of it, the law is so at odds with the State, why even bother to keep a handgun in the first place? After all, as a law-abiding citizen trying to balance my right to protect myself (granted by the state), and following other laws (as set by the University of Michigan Regents), I don't want to step on anybody's toes. Hence, my commentary. You don't have to ban something to discourage or even prevent its use entirely. You simply have to make its possession so onerous, so fraught with legal pitfalls, and so impractical as to render it de facto illegal.
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 5:55 a.m.
GoNavy: you should be warned: bringing up the fact that a murder victim was unarmed and defenseless is now forbidden under the Thought Crimes Act of Just Lately. Also, you are skating into a maelstrom of Thumbs Down votes spewed by the Anti-Self-Defense League (Ann Arbor Chapter 38). Properly scorned, I trust you'll cease asking pertinent questions on any Don'tThinkAnnArbordotcom webpages. ;-) Meanwhile: sincere best wishes. :-)
seldon
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 3:18 a.m.
Yeah, he wasn't on campus.
Eep
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 12:19 a.m.
He was in a private residence that's not located on the campus. There is nothing the Regents could do to prevent him from having a gun in his home if he chose to have one.
Ann English
Fri, Jul 26, 2013 : 11:50 p.m.
Kellie, John, I don't remember how Leo Kelly killed Edward (Ward) Siwik and Douglass McGreaham (an art major) at the U-M back in the 1970s, but do remember that Leo Kelly envied Siwik for his academic success.
Eep
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : midnight
Kelly set some fires in Bursley Hall and then shot the other students while they were running out of the building.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Jul 26, 2013 : 8:06 p.m.
Without veering into the macabre, dare I guess that all previous murders committed under U of M purview have been solved? I only bring this up because, so far, Mr. DeWolf's* apparent murder has not been solved. We can (and do) hope that this case will soon be solved as well. *Again, I may just be innocently ignorant so I must ask: is it more appropriate that references to Paul DeWolf should be preceded by "Lieutenant" rather than "Mister"? Out of sincere interest, (and admitting ignorance again): I checked on Schoolcraft, MI. and learned that it's a small town amid farmlands 9 mi. South of Kalamazoo. 110 miles from Ann Arbor. To me at least, this makes Paul DeWolf's death all that much harder to take. He must have been a standout in his hometown. That his life would be ended so senselessly in our own low-crime community is just awful.
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 5:44 a.m.
@ John Counts: thank you for that. I'm "pretty sure" there've been no unsolved murders connected with U of M but not 100% sure. @anti-thug: Just want to point out that I already "get it" about the time needed to complete such investigations. My question wasn't about that, anyway. As you can see by Mr. Counts's reply to me: it's about whether there have been any unsolved murders in the past. @drchrisbrown: sincere thanks for explaining the proper application of military ranks when referring to specific members of our armed forces. I just wanted to show proper respect for Mr. DeWolf and wanted to avoid any future mistakes in that area. You have been very helpful.
anti-thug
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 3:45 a.m.
Schoolcraft, MI is such a small place that they probably never meet anyone who got shut where they come from , it bad when something like this happens to are guest from small towns because it makes small town folks fear large towns because large town full of strangers no matter how safe a large town might be.... and know because I myself am from small town where everyone knew and we already knew who trouble makers where in are town.
drchrisbrown
Sat, Jul 27, 2013 : 1:29 a.m.
So tragic. To answer your question, assuming he was in the Air Force as an HPSP scholarship student, unless he was on one of his required active duty rotations at the time (roughly one month of each year), he would have been on inactive reserve status and is probably most appropriately referred to as Mr. Paul DeWolf. It would be unusual to refer to an inactive reservist by a military rank. Either way, he will be missed.
anti-thug
Fri, Jul 26, 2013 : 9:45 p.m.
this inst tv where crime gets solved so fast. ... some it takes days or longer.
John Counts
Fri, Jul 26, 2013 : 8:21 p.m.
I'm currently taking a look back at all homicides in Ann Arbor in the last 15 or so years. Keep an eye out for a story maybe next week about past incidents.
Eep
Fri, Jul 26, 2013 : 6:29 p.m.
Kellie - You've got the people involved in the 1999 Kingsley Street homicide backwards: it was the girlfriend who shot the boyfriend.
Kellie Woodhouse
Fri, Jul 26, 2013 : 6:46 p.m.
Indeed. I've appended a correction. Thanks so much for catching this.