Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood.Photo: Facebook
The University of Kentucky (UK) is mourning one of its students after he was found dead at an on-campus fraternity house.
University officials said police were called to the frat house just before 6:30 p.m. after receiving “reports of an unresponsive student.”
When they arrived, authorities discovered Hazelwood, 18, of Henderson, Kentucky, who was a first-year student majoring in agricultural economics and a member of FarmHouse Fraternity.
Hazelwood was immediately transported to UK Chandler Hospital, but despite their best efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead Monday night, according to UK’s statement.
“Foul play is not suspected, but police are investigating the circumstances of his death,” the university wrote.
A spokesperson for the Fayette County Coroner’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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In the wake of his death, UK’s President Eli Capilouto and UK Vice President for Student Success Kirsten Turnerissued a letter to the campus community.
“In other words, he had all the promise of youth and the potential that comes with it,” the letter read. “There aren’t words adequate to convey what so many on our campus feel, the sense of loss and grief, sadness and emptiness.”
Hazelwood’s mom, Tracey, later spoke with theLexington Herald-Leaderand said her son was the youngest of four siblings who became interested in agriculture after working a summer job on a farm.
“He was an old soul,” Tracey told the outlet. “Such a good boy. Loved his family and friends… He was a great, great kid.”
“We have conveyed to Lofton’s family that we will move as quickly as possible, but also transparently and comprehensively. We won’t speculate or engage in conjecture, but we will find out,” they wrote.
While the investigation is ongoing, Capilouto and Turner said they were suspending all activities for the FarmHouse Fraternity.
“Life is fragile and precious. Too often, we realize that far too late,” Capilouto and Turner wrote. “So, while we cannot heal such a loss or fill the emptiness that we know so many feel right now, we can be there for each other a little more tomorrow than we are today, and we can commit to finding answers. That is the project, as a community, that we will undertake together.”
source: people.com
