Police reaffirm University of Idaho student slayings were part of a 'targeted attack' - NBC News

Police connected Thursday reaffirmed that the grisly killings of four University of Idaho students were a "targeted attack" the time aft authorities appeared to suggest the opposite.

“We stay accordant successful our content that this was so a targeted onslaught but person not concluded if the people was the residence oregon its occupants,” a spokesperson for the Moscow Police Department told NBC News.

Authorities person released conflicting statements since Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, were recovered fatally stabbed astatine an off-campus location successful Moscow connected Nov. 13.

The slayings — described by a section coroner arsenic 1 of the astir “gruesome” she had ever seen — person near the victims’ families and the nationalist with galore questions.

Flowers are near astatine a makeshift memorial honoring 4 slain University of Idaho students successful Moscow, Idaho.Tim Stelloh / NBC News

Two days aft the bodies were found, constabulary connected Nov. 15 described the homicides arsenic “a targeted attack” carried retired with an “edged weapon.” Investigators person not disclosed their ground for that archetypal conclusion.

The Latah County Prosecutor’s Office appeared to echo constabulary connected Wednesday, saying that the “suspect(s) specifically looked astatine this residence” and “one oregon much of the occupants were undoubtedly targeted.” However, the Moscow Police Department issued a connection of its ain the aforesaid day, saying this was a “miscommunication.”

“Detectives bash not presently cognize if the residence oregon immoderate occupants were specifically targeted but proceed to investigate,” constabulary said in a station connected the department’s Facebook page.

NBC News has reached retired to the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office for clarification connected its statement.

This isn’t the archetypal clip Moscow’s constabulary unit of 36 officers and unit successful the mostly agrarian metropolis of astir 26,000 residents has delivered mixed messaging successful the case.

Another constituent constabulary person walked backmost is whether there’s a menace to the community.

In the hours aft the victims’ bodies were discovered successful their backstage residence astir a half-block from the university, Moscow police told the public that portion “there is nary 1 successful custody,” the section “does not judge determination is an ongoing assemblage risk.”

Two days later, officials continued to accidental determination was “no imminent threat.”

But that changed the pursuing day: “We cannot accidental determination is nary menace to the community,” Moscow Police Chief James Fry said astatine a quality league Nov. 16.

Such unclear answers whitethorn person fixed whoever fatally stabbed the students much clip to flee, instrumentality enforcement experts say.