This past Wednesday, a professor of hydrology from the University of Arizona (UA) was shot and killed on campus, kicking off a multi-hours-long search for the suspected shooter, events which were later confirmed by the school.
46-year-old former student Murad Dervish, the suspect in question, was officially taken into custody almost 100 miles away after roughly three hours in the wake of the alleged killing of the male professor, as reported by AZ Central. Just prior to 2:00 p.m., Campus Police for UA reportedly got a call from someone inside the University’s John W. Harshbarger Building who stated that a former student was inside the building without proper access and requested that the police come to escort them out.
“Someone recognized the student and knew that he was not allowed inside the building,” explained UA Campus Police Chief Paula Balafas, as reported by Tucson.com.
Just a short time later, Police officials were hit with a phone call explaining that shots had been fired within the previously mentioned building, and Dervish fled from the area and out of the campus before they arrived. One faculty member who was inside of the building at the time stated to Tucson.com that he managed to hear between seven to ten gunshots echo throughout the building. Dervish was then captured after a traffic stop with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The professor in question, whose name has still not yet been released by police officials, was quickly taken to an area hospital, but it was expressed by Balafas that he was officially pronounced dead in the wake of his arrival. The university officially canceled classes for the rest of the day that Wednesday, and it is still entirely unclear about if the classes held inside of the John W. Harshbarger Building will end up resuming as scheduled soon.
“Arizona is praying for the family and friends of the professor and those affected by today’s tragedy in Tucson,” explained Governor Doug Ducey (R-AZ) via a social media post this past Wednesday night.
