Idaho Student Deaths: Police Clarify Attack Was Targeted

MOSCOW, ID — After multiple conflicting updates, Moscow police said Thursday they still believe that the attack that resulted in the deaths of four University of Idaho students was targeted.

"We remain consistent in our belief that this was a targeted attack but have not concluded that the target was the residence or its occupants," the Moscow Police Department told FOX News via a handout Thursday.

The department's previous update, which was shared on Facebook Wednesday evening, said that the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office's claim that the suspect(s) specifically targeted the home and at least one of the occupants was a "miscommunication."

"Detectives do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted but continue to investigate," the department said at the time.

On Wednesday, in the statement given to FOX News, the department claimed that the clarification was directly in response to Latah County Prosecutor Thompson, who specifically said that the home and at least one of the victims were targeted.

Officials announced Wednesday that five vehicles parked at the scene where the four students were killed earlier this month were moved as investigators continue to gather evidence over two weeks since the bodies were found near campus.

The vehicles were moved to a more secure location, officials said.

The brief update about the investigation this week is the latest in a case where evidence and information have been scarce to the public as officials have also worked to clamp down on speculation. Police in Moscow say they have yet to identify any suspects and have not found a weapon though they believe an edged weapon like a knife was used.

Police have contacted local businesses to determine if a fixed-blade knife was recently purchased and have collected over a hundred pieces of physical evidence. Idaho State Police and the FBI are assisting the police department in the search.

The victims have been identified as Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington, Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona and Kaylee GonCalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho.