Police in Moscow, Idaho, sought to calm growing community concerns Wednesday about the slayings of four University of Idaho students — though police said they had no suspects in custody and declined to release more information to the public.   

  “We hear you and understand your fears,” the Moscow police department said in a press release.  “We want you to know that we, like you, are devastated and saddened by these young lives needlessly taken.   

  “We determined early in the investigation that we do not believe there is an ongoing threat to members of the community.  The evidence shows that it was a targeted attack.”   

  That information has not been released to the public, and police said they shared as much as they could without compromising the investigation.  Police also said they hope to have more information Wednesday and have a press conference scheduled for the afternoon.   

  The statement comes days after the four students were found dead in an off-campus residence.  No weapons were found, but police said preliminary information led them to believe a “sharp weapon,” such as a knife, was used in the quadruple homicide.   

  The killings and lack of information have rankled Moscow, a town of 25,000 on the Idaho-Washington border.  Residents there are worried and “getting out of Dodge,” Latah County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Mikolajczyk told the Idaho Statesman.   

  The father of one of the victims issued a statement Wednesday calling on police to release more information about the killings.   

  “There is a lack of information from the University of Idaho and local police, which only fuels false rumors and innuendo in the press and social media,” Jim Chapin, Ethan Chapin’s father, said in the statement.  “The silence further intensifies our family’s anguish after our son’s murder.  For Ethan and his three dear friends who were killed in Moscow, Idaho and all of our families, I urge officials to tell the truth, share what they know, find the perpetrator and protect the greater community.”   

  CNN has reached out to the university for comment and information about the case.   

  “Words cannot adequately describe the light these students brought into this world or ease the depth of pain we feel when they died under these tragic circumstances,” said University of Idaho President Scott Green. , in a previous statement.   

  “Moscow police do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the community based on information gathered during the preliminary investigation, however, we are asking our officers to be compassionate, flexible and cooperative with our students who wish to return home to spend time with their families.  We don’t know the timeline of the investigation, but we will continue to communicate with the campus as we learn more.”   

  Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt told CNN affiliate KXLY that she saw the gruesome crime scene Sunday night.   

  “There’s a lot of blood in the apartment and, you know, it was quite a traumatic scene to find four dead students in a residence hall,” he said.   

  Mabbutt said subsequent autopsies could provide more information about what happened.   

  “There could be some evidence, you know, some evidence about the suspect that we have during the autopsies that would be helpful,” Mabbutt said.   

  The University of Idaho identified the victims as:

Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington, a freshman majoring in recreation, sport and tourism management and a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona, a marketing student and member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a senior marketing major and member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho, a senior general studies major and member of Alpha Phi sorority.

  Hours before their deaths, Goncalves posted a photo of the foursome with the caption, “a lucky girl to be surrounded by these people everyday,” adding a heart emoji.   

  Chapin was one of three triplets, all of whom are enrolled at the University of Idaho, the family said in a statement.   

  “Ethan lit up every room he walked into and was a kind, loyal, loving son, brother, cousin and friend,” said his mother Stacey Chapin.  “Words cannot express the pain and devastation our family is experiencing.  It breaks my heart to know we’ll never be able to hug or laugh with Ethan again, but it’s also infuriating to think about the horrible way they took us.”   

  Alivea Goncalves, Kaylee’s sister, sent a statement to the Idaho Statesman on behalf of her family and Mogen.   

  “They were smart, they were careful, they were careful, and all of that happened,” he said.  “No one is in custody and that means no one is safe.  Yes, we are all heartbroken.  Yes, we all understand.  But stronger than any of these emotions is anger.  We are angry.  You should be angry.”   

  Because of the killings, the city canceled its long-running Artwalk festival “out of respect for the victims of this week’s tragedy on the University of Idaho campus and those in the Vandals and Moscow community who are united in mourning.”