University of Arizona professor shot and killed by ex-student

The Bobster

Senior News Editor since 2004


University of Arizona professor shot and killed by ex-student​



By
Patrick Reilly


October 5, 2022 10:17pm
Updated









Ex-student fatally shoots professor in University of Arizona building







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.”
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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 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.




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Thomas-Meixner-3.jpg
The University of Arizona ID'd the victim as Professor Thomas Meixner. University of Arizona

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Thomas Meixner was the head of the University of Arizona's Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences department. University of Arizona



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.

Alleged gunman Murad Dervish was arrested over 100 miles away from the incident.Alleged gunman Murad Dervish was arrested over 100 miles away.University of Arizona Police
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 pronounced dead, the outlet reported.

police behind tape after shooting at UAFormer UA student Murad Dervish allegedly shot and killed a professor on campus Tuesday.AP two people embrace after shooting at UAThe professor, who has not yet been identified, was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his wounds.AP University of Arizona Police escort students from the scene The shooting sent the UA campus in Tucson into lockdown for more than an hour.AP
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.
 

University of Arizona murder suspect's troubled past in San Diego​


By: Nia Watson

Posted at 9:07 PM, Oct 06, 2022

and last updated 9:07 PM, Oct 06, 2022

SAN DIEGO. (KGTV) — The suspected shooter in the death of a University of Arizona professor has a troubled past in San Diego.
46-year-old Murad Dervish was arrested 120 miles away from the university after allegedly walking into a campus building and shooting Professor Thomas Meixner.

Dervish's family tells ABC 10News he has a history of violence.

Court documents reveal a woman filed a restraining order against Dervish in 2020, stating he harassed and stalked her while he was a teaching assistant at San Diego State University.
An SDSU spokesperson confirmed Dervish was a graduate student in physics in 2018. He served as a teaching assistant during that time. Dervish was last enrolled in the Spring semester of 2020 and did not graduate from SDSU.

The woman was a student at the time. She stated Dervish would constantly send her emails and reach out through social media despite her telling him to leave her alone.
She also said Dervish disregarded the no-contact order she had in place through the university.

Dervish's father, Dolgun, admits his son has a history of violence.

"My initial reaction was I'm sorry that he killed someone," Dolgun said.
Dolgun, who lives in South Carolina, said several years ago, Dervish assaulted him at his restaurant.

"He smashed the equipment I had in my restaurant with a crowbar and then he threw a plate at me and hit my back," he said.
Afterward, Dervish moved to San Diego to live with his mother.
"He tried to kill his mother there," he said.
Dolgun said he was arrested, but eventually released.

He added he hasn’t been in contact with his son in a long time but believes that prison is where he needs to be.
"I'm so sorry this had to happen," Dolgun said. "I was hoping that he would go to prison for a long time for some other reason than killing somebody."
 

Man suspected of shooting and killing University of Arizona professor undergoing competency evaluation for trial​

By Briana Whitney
Published: Aug. 31, 2023 at 8:53 PM MST|Updated: 1 hour ago

TUCSON (3TV/CBS 5) - Will the alleged murderer of a University of Arizona professor stand trial or not? That’s what’s being decided now, as suspect Murad Dervish is facing a competency evaluation. The former UA student is the only suspect in the death of Professor Thomas Meixner, who was gunned down on campus last October.

So, what goes into a competency decision? This evaluation is called Rule 11. Phoenix criminal defense attorney Jason Lamm explains, “A Rule 11 evaluation is not an IQ test. The questions are fairly basic and are oriented to the criminal justice process.”

The questions are basic because this test determines basic understanding of what’s going to happen at trial, says Lamm.

“Legally, that means they have to 1) understand the nature of the charges against them and 2) they have to be able to assist their own attorney,” said Lamm.

It was back in October when Dervish, an expelled UA student, is accused of shooting and killing Mexiner in the Harshbarger building on campus. Dervish’s father said after the shooting, his son had had a violent past and described him as a ticking time bomb. But that still doesn’t mean he’s incompetent to stand trial.

“This person has such a significant problem that it is, it would be fundamentally unjust to put this person on trial,” said Tucson criminal defense attorney Louis Fidel. If Dervish is not fit to stand trial, then professionals will work to try and get him to a competent state, which could significantly push back the start of a trial, says Fidel. “The restoration process can take a long time, too,” said Fidel.

Dervish also cannot take a plea deal unless he is deemed mentally competent, too, so everything in this case is at a standstill until we learn the ruling, and it’s all based on conversations with Murad Dervish happening right now despite his checkered past.

“The exam doesn’t look at the past. It doesn’t look at issues like insanity or childhood trauma like mitigation. It’s only focused on the right here and now,” said Lamm. If he is deemed competent, then it’s likely his attorneys would look at a possible guilty except insane defense. They could also consider a plea deal if something is offered.

We should learn the competency decision next month.
 
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