A former student shot and killed a University of Arizona professor inside a campus building on Wednesday afternoon, the school and a report said.
The gunman opened fire inside the John W. Harshbarger Building at the university’s main campus in Tucson at about 2 p.m., sending the school into a lockdown for over an hour before the suspect was arrested.
The school confirmed in a statement that one person was killed in the shooting. The victim was later identified as 52-year-old professor Thomas Meixner, the head of the university’s Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences.
“We have lost a beloved member of our University of Arizona community,” University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins said in a statement.
“This incident is a deep shock to our community, and it is a tragedy. I have no words that can undo it, but I grieve with you for the loss, and I am pained especially for Tom’s family members, colleagues and students.”
The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Murad Dervish, was captured by state police around 5 p.m. on Interstate 8 in Gila Bend — over 100 miles away, Tucson.com reported.
Before the shooting, UA police received a call from someone inside of the building reporting that an ex-student was in the building without proper access and requested that officers come and escort the man out, according to police.
As police headed towards the building, UA police received another call that shots had been fired.
“Someone recognized the student and knew that he was not allowed inside the building,” UA Police Chief Paula Balafas told Tucson.com.
When police arrived moments later, Dervish had fled the building.
Video shot by Tucson.com showed members of the Tucson Fire Department carrying a man from the building and loading him into an ambulance.
The victim was taken to Banner-University Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, the outlet reported.
Former UA student Murad Dervish allegedly shot and killed a professor on campus Tuesday.AP
The professor, who has not yet been identified, was taken to an area hospital where he died from his wounds.
A UA faculty member who was in the building at the time of the shooting told Tucson.com that he heard between seven and 10 gunshots.
In response to the shooting, students and staff were told to shelter in place for more than an hour. The lockdown was lifted around 3:30 p.m., according to a university police update.
Classes were canceled for the remainder of Wednesday and the university asked staff and students to leave the campus or stay in their dorms.
