News Nearby: Death of Washington & Jefferson Student Under Investigation

The death of a student at Washington & Jefferson College Thursday is under investigation.

Washington County Coroner Tim Warco said in a release that Timothy McNerney, of Robinson Road, Butler, was discovered at College and Maiden in the city at 4:42 a.m. Thursday.

He was taken to the Washington County Hospital emergency room, where he later died, according to the Observer-Reporter newspaper.

The death is being treated as suspicious, Warco said in a release.

The cause of death is pending an autopsy and the manner of death is pending an investigation.

No further details were immediately available Thursday morning.

But W&J President Tori Haring-Smith released the following message on the school's website Thursday afternoon:

"The W&J community is heartbroken over the death of senior Tim McNerney of Butler, PA, on Oct. 4. While we do not yet know the full circumstances, the entire Washington & Jefferson College community is in shock, and our deepest prayers are with Tim's family and friends.

We promise to keep the W&J community informed as we learn more about this tragic off-campus incident. I also want to assure you that we are working closely with the police as they investigate. The safety of our students, both on and off campus, continues to be our highest priority. The campus remains safe and secure. Security escorts will be available at any time for anyone who would like them, whether on or off campus.

I am here on campus—as are the rest of the faculty and administration—ready to help all students, in any way we can. In addition, grief counselors will continue to be available to help students work through their grief and shock. The campus community will be gathering this evening, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. on the Burnett Lawn to honor Tim, and we will be meeting in small and large groups for support.

This is the time when having a close-knit community is essential. As I have been telling the students, incidents like this make us all feel lost. We need to hold on to each other as members of the W&J family and take strength from one another as we grieve together."