HARRISONBURG, Va. — A James Madison University student was found dead Frederikson Hall dorm room early Thursday morning, according to Virginia State Police.
"At approximately 2:30 a.m. Thursday (Nov. 9), a 19-year-old male subject was found deceased in a dormitory on the campus of James Madison University," a Virginia State Police spokesperson wrote in an email. "At this stage of the investigation, the death does not appear to be suspicious in nature."
JMU identified the deceased student as Bernard "Ben" Stapelfeld from Pennsylvania.
"This is a tragic loss to our campus community, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones," the university wrote in an email to the campus community. "During these extremely difficult moments, we are reminded of our sense of community and the importance of being there for one another. Understandably, this can be a challenging moment and we have support services to help care for you."
JMU Boarderline, a snowboard and ski club, posted to social media about Stapelfeld's death.
The university encouraged students to contact the JMU Counseling Center at 540-568-6552 for assistance.
The investigation into Stapelfeld's death remains ongoing.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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