University of Arizona professor shot by former student

A professor at the University of Arizona was shot and killed by a former student, forcing the campus into a lockdown that ended with the shooter’s arrest.

The chaos kicked off around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, when someone inside the Harshbarger Building — home to the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences — phoned 911 seeking a police escort for for an unruly ex-student.

He allegedly became agitated after he was not allowed to enter the building.

As officers were responding, they received another call, this time about a shooting at the same location.

When they arrived on the scene, they discovered a single victim suffering from a gunshot wound, but the shooter was nowhere to be found. Firefighters transported the victim to Banner University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, officials said.

University President Robert Robbins late Wednesday identified the victim as Dr. Thomas Meixner, a professor and head of the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences.

Hours after the violence, Arizona state troopers stopped Murad Dervish, 46, in a vehicle roughly 120 miles northwest of the Tucson campus. He was arrested in connection with the shooting, though his relationship with Meixner remained unknown Thursday afternoon.

“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.”

The building where the shooting occurred is just northwest of the university bookstore and student union. Campus alerts instructed people to stay away from the area, which was under lockdown.

“The Tucson campus is open today,” a note on the university website reads. “Classes may be rescheduled or repurposed in some part by instructors to accommodate time for reflection on the loss of our beloved colleague, Tom Meixner. Support and counseling services are available to anyone in need.”

With News Wire Services