A man is in custody after he allegedly shot and killed a University of Arizona professor at the main Tuscon campus Wednesday afternoon.
In a news conference, University of Arizona Police Chief Paula Balafas said the suspect, 46-year-old Murad Dervish, was arrested by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers at 5:10 p.m. after a traffic stop near Gila Bend.
Balafas said the department received a call around 1:59 p.m. reporting Dervish, a former student, was in the John W. Harshbarger building. He was reportedly not allowed in that building and the caller wanted him escorted out by law enforcement.
While police were en route to the building, officers received two separate reports around 2:06 p.m. of a person shot inside.
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Arizona Department of Public Safety officers arrested Murad Dervish, 46, in connection with the shooting death of University of Arizona professor Dr. Thomas Meixner.
(University of Arizona Police/Facebook)
The shooter was then seen running out the main doors of the building and away from the scene.
Balafas said the Tuscon Fire Department arrived at 2:13 p.m. and transported the victim, who was identified as a male professor, to Banner University Medical Center. He was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
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Late Wednesday night, University of Arizona President Robert Robbins identified the slain professor as Dr. Thomas Meixner, the head of the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences.
“This incident is a deep shock to our community, and it is a tragedy,” Robbins wrote. “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. I encourage you to have compassion for one another and to care for yourselves and those around you during this difficult time.”
University of Arizona professor and department head Dr. Thomas Meixner was killed on campus allegedly at the hands of a former student on Oct. 5, 2022.
(University of Arizona Faculty Profile)
Limited details are available about the shooting, but police said it happened in an office. The relationship, if any, between the professor and the shooter was not disclosed.
During the news conference, Balafas said the shooting “rocked everyone’s world” and really affected the first responders and partners who responded to the scene.
“It’s a tremendously tragic event. We feel so incredibly bad for the professor’s family, friends and colleagues,” Balafas said. “Our hearts really just go out to them. It’s definitely a tragedy.”
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The University of Arizona Police Department shared a photo of flowers outside a campus building Wednesday evening hours after a professor was shot and killed in an office.
(University of Arizona Police/Facebook)
After the shooting, the university asked that all non-essential faculty, staff and students leave campus or go to their dorms. All remaining in-person classes for the day were canceled.
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The university shared multiple mental health resources on its website while posting updates on the shooting. Students in need of support can call Campus Health Counseling and Psych Services at 520-621-3334, and faculty and staff can contact 877-327-2362.
