Colorado university dorm murder suspect 'still poses a threat,' prosecutor warns judge
Nicholas Jordan appeared in court for first time since he allegedly killed Samuel Knopp and Celie Rain Montgomery
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nicholas Jordan hung his head and uttered two words during his first court appearance, as the prosecution told the judge he "still poses a threat" to the public and was arrested with a gun in his car.
Jordan, a 25-year-old Detroit native and a student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, allegedly shot and killed his former roommate, Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Montgomery, 26, in Knopp's dorm room on Friday.
"The defendant has no ties to this state … there are indications he tried to flee the state afterwards," the prosecution said during Tuesday's court hearing. "He still poses a threat to witnesses and some of the other folks at UCCS campus, as well as the public in general."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The judge sided with the prosecution and changed Jordan's initial $1 million bond to $5 million cash bond.
Nicholas Jordan (left in orange) appears in court for the first time on Feb. 20, 2024, after his arrest in connection with the fatal shooting of two Colorado University students.
What sparked the fatal encounter remains under lock and key. The court sealed records, including the arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit, which Fox News Digital requested and was denied.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jordan's lawyer, Nick Rodgers, told the judge that he hasn't even seen the affidavit. "The defense is at a disadvantage at this point," the public defender said.
COLORADO DORM MURDERS SUSPECT WAS STUDENT AT UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL SAYS
He also said he filed five motions on Jordan's behalf, but didn't elaborate.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As the two sides exchanged arguments over bond, Jordan remained quiet except when the presiding judge asked him his name for the record.
"Mr. Jordan," he replied after turning to his lawyer.
Sam Knopp was a "beloved" 24-year-old senior and musician at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs when he was fatally shot on Feb. 16, 2024. (UCCS Music Program/YouTube)
Celie Montgomery, 26, was fatally shot in a shooting at Colorado University at Colorado Springs on Feb. 16, 2024. (Family Handout)
Releasing public documents, like the affidavit, will be addressed during the next court appearance, which is scheduled for Feb. 23.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Knopp was Jordan's roommate, according to multiple reports. Montgomery, a mom of two, wasn't enrolled at the university. Her connection to Knopp and/or Jordan isn't known at this point.
Jordan will return to El Paso County Jail on the increased cash bond, where he's been held on warrants for murder.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He didn't enter a plea during Tuesday's court appearance.
Nicholas Jordan, 25, has been arrested in connection with the killing of two people inside a University of Colorado dorm. (Colorado Springs Police Department)
Nicholas Jordan is accused of killing his former college roommate. (nick t jordan/facebook)
What we do know
Gunshots rang out around 6 a.m. local time on Friday in an upperclassman dorm called the Alpine Village Apartments in Colorado Springs.
Responding officers found Knopp and Montgomery dead inside the dorm room, which triggered an hours-long campus lockdown, as law enforcement searched for a potential active shooter.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dispatch audio obtained by Fox News Digital revealed first responders were unsure how stable the scene was, or if a gunman was still roaming around campus.
The investigation linked Jordan to the crime, and police secured a warrant for his arrest by Friday night. Detectives searched for him over the weekend, but his name wasn't publicly released until Monday evening.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He remained on the loose for most of the day Monday, and police remained tight-lipped about the shooting but reiterated it was an "isolated event."
Shortly before 8 a.m. Monday, Colorado Springs Police Department’s Motor Vehicle Theft Unit spotted Jordan, police said on X (formerly Twitter), and a tactical team arrested him about 30 minutes later.
Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price and MItch Picasso contributed to this story.