GRISLY FIND ON CAMPUS - US student dies at uni

A NIGHT of celebration ended tragically for an American student in Bendigo yesterday when he bled to death outside student accommodation at the La Trobe University campus in Flora Hill.The 20-year-old student, from New Hampshire, had only been in Australia for three days. His body was found by two painters about 7.30am yesterday outside Unit 13 of the Sharon Street Terraces.Police confirmed they were investigating if alcohol was involved, and said they were not treating the incident as suspicious. Detective Senior Constable David Morris said it appeared the student had broken or fallen into a plate-glass sliding door at the front of the empty unit sometime after 2am. Sen-Constable Morris said the student only arrived in Australia on Thursday and his luggage remained virtually unpacked in his residence – unit 10.He said unit 10 was on a different level than unit 13 and it was possible the student became disorientated.Sen-Constable Morris said the student suffered cuts to his upper body, including a deep laceration under one arm. "It appears from initial investigations that it is an accident; there is a broken window, there is a large amount of blood and the injuries the deceased has sustained are consistent with an accident," he said. "What we have been able to establish is there was some sort of party last night; some students and the deceased were part of that. "There were a number of them that went into town for a drink after the party and we are just trying to establish his movements after that time."He said the group returned to one of the other units for drinks, and the American student left that unit alone about 2am.Sen-Constable Morris said The Terraces were only partially occupied at the moment because the academic year had not yet started.He said police wanted to speak to anyone who may have heard the glass breaking or other noises in the area in the early yesterday.Police will conduct a post-mortem examination on the body including toxicology tests and prepare a report for the coroner. Sen-Constable Morris said the dead man's family was contacted through the US Consulate, and was deciding how his body would be returned to America. The incident shocked La Trobe University staff and students, who are preparing to start the new university year and are only weeks out from Orientation Week.La Trobe University Bendigo director Lorraine Ling called several staff and student briefings yesterday and said counselling was offered to all concerned students and staff. "This an extremely tragic start to the year and tragic at any time of year," Professor Ling said."The students who knew him have been extremely supportive of each other; they are a mature group and I've been impressed with the way they've rallied around each other." The university is also planning a commemorative service for the student later this week.