One Ohio State student and two others were found dead yesterday afternoon at a home located on 11th Avenue near Summit Street.

The deaths of Kayla Hurst, a 21-year-old junior in English at OSU, Aaron Grexa, a resident at 235 E. 11th Ave., and Eric Hlass, also a resident of the house, are being investigated by police.

William Tammadge, 25, said he was standing on a friend’s porch behind the victims’ house around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday when he heard four gunshots.

Tammadge said he saw two middle-aged black males run from the victims’ back door. He said the two men ran down the alley and then split up – one continuing southbound and the other westbound.

“We didn’t say anything to them; they just took off. We didn’t see any guns; they were just in a hurry to get out of there,” Tammadge said.

Brent Mull, a spokesman for the Columbus Division of Police, said only one emergency call was received Tuesday evening; however, he said it is a possibility there could have been more.

Mull said the police officers searched the area, but were not given the exact location of the shootings. Tammadge said he showed police the house, but the officers “looked in the backyard, looked around and left.”

“They didn’t even go up to the back door and knock,” Tammadge said.

Neighborhood disturbances and local shootings continue to increase in the University District, but police response is not always immediate, said Candy Whaley, the manager of the Golden Eight Ball 11th, located across the street from the shooting.

Because of disturbances at the bar and the surrounding area, Whaley, 26, deals with police on a daily basis.

“We’ve always had problems, but they are getting worse,” she said.

About 12 hours after the initial 911 phone call, Brandon Connors came home from a friend’s house and found the bodies.

“My roommate and my other roommate and his girlfriend are tied up and they’re dead,” Connors said in his 911 phone call around noon yesterday.

Police responded shortly after the call was made.

Although there is a broken window in the back of the house, police cannot confirm the route of entry or the motive.

Kevin Brugger, 27, said he saw the victims Tuesday night prior to the shooting, and they didn’t seem worried about any possible danger.

“They are very friendly people. I have no idea why this would happen at all,” Brugger said.

Tears fell from his face as Sherry Mercurio, a spokeswoman for the Columbus Division of Police, handed him her card. Until that point, the tragic reality had not set in, he said.

“Between them and my roommates it was like my second family. We told each other we loved each other, and we cared for each other – we always looked out for each other,” Brugger said.

All the victims were in their early 20s. Grexa, a native of Pennsylvania, used to DJ at local house parties. His girlfriend, Hurst, graduated from Granville High School in 2000.

In a published statement released yesterday evening, OSU President Karen Holbrook expressed sympathy for the victims and their families.

“We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy, which has taken the lives of two other young people as well. While the two other victims were not Ohio State students, they lived in the area and so were a part of this community,” Holbrook said.

“The university will do everything it can to support the Columbus Police in the investigation of this tragic event,” she said.