A young woman died Monday evening outside her apartment, shot to death, according to Fayette County Sheriff Marty Fisher.

The shooter later killed himself.

Morgan Kaye, 27, and her assailant, Anthony Hebert, 27, of West Union, were both nontraditional students at Upper Iowa University but living off campus.

"It was a murder-suicide," Fisher said. "He took her life (and) fled the scene."

He added Kaye died from a single gunshot wound. Hebert was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"I don't know what kind of relationship it was," Fisher added.

The incident began shortly before 9 p.m. Fisher, deputies and West Union police officers responded to a report of gunfire at 413 W. Linden St. in West Union. The scene is perhaps 2 miles north of the sheriff's office and jail, even less from the West Union Police Station and City Hall.

Fisher said officers discovered the woman lying on the walkway near the front door to an apartment, No. 3.

Andrew Wenthe, a spokesman for Upper Iowa, said the news hit many on campus.

"Last evening I learned about the incident in West Union and then it wasn't until very early this morning that it was involving two students," Wenthe said.

"It is something that we are prepared to deal with but certainly never want to have to deal with," he added.

Upper Iowa has its own counselor, but administrators on Tuesday brought in additional help, according to Wenthe. The immediate focus and in days ahead will be providing support to students and faculty who knew Kaye and Hebert.

"We're all a big family here," Wenthe said.

Wenthe said he could not confirm whether Hebert and Kaye lived together or what their relationship to each other was.

As the investigation began, authorities developed a suspect. He was found in his pickup on Iowa Highway 150 south of Calmar in Winneshiek County.

"He apparently took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Fisher said.

The apartment complex in West Union is run by Northeast Iowa Apartment and Home Rentals in West Union. A person answering the phone Tuesday morning declined comment.

Hebert online described himself as a student ambassador and athlete at Upper Iowa University. He said he previously served four years with the U.S. Marines starting in July 2007. He was studying law enforcement at the college.

"My goals are to obtain a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and serve my community in a professional and proficient manner," Hebert wrote online.

"I will strive to help the community trust its law enforcement officers by implementing community-oriented policing tactics and upholding the law," he added.

Toward that end, Hebert said he was working towards a degree covering topics like homeland security, firefighting and protective services.

Hebert listed his hometown as San Jacinto, Calif. He said he previously studied at Mount San Jacinto Community College.

On Upper Iowa's website, Hebert is included as a member of the 2015-16 wrestling team, and Wenthe confirmed Hebert was a member of the squad. Hebert competed at 157 pounds and was described as a redshirt sophomore.

In a professional biography online, Kaye said she worked for about 10 months as a bartender at Jimmy D's in Hawkeye. She began in May 2015.

Prior to that job, Kaye said she worked 11 months as a waitress and bartender at Cabo Blue in Fayette and before that as a personal trainer for 18 months at Anytime Fitness in West Union.

She also listed her expectation of receiving a bachelor of applied science degree in pharmacy next year from Upper Iowa. Kaye said she previously earned an associate of science degree in biology from Northeast Iowa Community College and had a cosmetology license from Santa Monica College in California.

In 2015, Kaye received the Churbuck Scholarship, which is awarded to a student pursuing a career in biological sciences. She also was raising money for the Upper Iowa University Dance Marathon next month on campus.

Wenthe confirmed Kaye and Hebert were active at Upper Iowa.

"Both students were involved on campus, so obviously it's affecting a lot of people," he said.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office assisted during the incident and during the investigation.