Deluca commented that the counts against MIT might have been limited by the "immunity that the institution enjoys" as an educational institution. MIT continued to deny wrongdoing. On April 3, 2006, MIT announced that the lawsuit had been settled for an undisclosed amount. The Shins released a statement, saying, "We appreciate MIT's willingness to spare our family the ordeal of a trial and have come to understand that our daughter's death was likely a tragic accident. This agreement will allow us to move forward in the healing process." The Shins' lawyer stated that the results of a toxicology test indicated that Elizabeth had overdosed on a nonprescription medication before the fire that could have prevented her from responding appropriately to the blaze. This evidence may have played a part in the Shins' later admission that Elizabeth's death was an accident. MIT had experienced nine suicides since 1990, provoking controversy as to whether MIT's suicide rate was abnormally high. According to an unreferenced 2011 article in The Boston Globe, MIT's suicide rate was not higher than other colleges, refuting an earlier The Boston Globe article cited in The New York Times. The picture is muddied by conflicting studies, unequal comparisons, the sparse nature of the event of suicide compared to other activities, conflicts of interest of reporting parties, and changes in the attitude and actions of academic administrations over the decades. MIT statement MIT Chancellor Phillip Clay announced the trial settlement with this message to the community on April 3, 2006: References External links MIT sued, denies liability in death of Elizabeth Shin Short tribute 1980 births 2000 suicides American people of Korean descent April 2000 events in the United States Suicides by self-immolation Suicides in Massachusetts Deaths by person in Massachusetts Deaths from fire in the United States Massachusetts Institute of Technology people People from West Orange, New Jersey West Orange High School (New Jersey) alumni