11/9/23
HARRISONBURG VA: (WSVA)- James Madison University has confirmed that a student died overnight at an on-campus residence hall.
According to the J-M-U student newspaper, President Jonathan Alger’s office identified the deceased as Bernard Staplefield, a first-year student from Pennsylvania, saying only that he was found lifeless inside Frederickson Hall, in the Village section of the campus.
In a statement to WSVA, university spokesperson Mary-Hope Vass called Staplefield’s death a “tragic loss,” adding that support services are in place for students, faculty, and staff.
She said that Virginia State Police is investigating, and there is no threat to the safety of the school.
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