On February 16, 19­year­old Jonathan Thielen went out with friends to buy alcohol for the evening. The next morning, his friends awoke to find him dead.

Thielen was a freshman at the University of Minnesota. According to the Pioneer Press, at about 1 a.m. that morning, Thielen fell out of his lofted bed and hit his head. His friends talked to him directly after the fall and covered him with a blanket, but in the morning he was not breathing so they called 911.

The Star Tribune reported that there was no indication of negligence involved in the death. The police are still investigating Cedar Riverside Liquor Store, which sold the alcohol to Thielen and his friends, all of whom are minors.

The owners, Yibelta Mebratu and his wife, have cooperated with police. However, they deny selling to minors. According to Mebratu, the liquor store employees try to avoid selling alcohol to students.

It is still unknown whether or not Thielen had alcohol in his blood at the time of his death. The University of Minnesota permits alcohol consumption for those of legal drinking age. Their official policy on alcohol is to help students understand the risks of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.

Students who violate these policies are generally given opportunities to correct their behavior through counseling and education.