Thomas Meixner has been identified as the University of Arizona professor who was shot and killed on campus by a former student, according to a school statement. According to his school biography, Meixner was a professor who led the department of hydrology and atmospheric sciences.
Wednesday, Meixner was shot and died inside the Harshbarger Building on the university’s Tucson campus, according to authorities. Balafas stated that at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time, someone inside the facility called the police and asked them to remove a former student who was not authorized to be there. While the police were their route, they received a second call reporting a gunshot. A following police call revealed that the shooter had departed the scene.
At the local hospital, Meixner was pronounced dead.
Murad Dervish, 46, a former graduate student at the institution, was apprehended several hours later outside Gila Bend, Arizona, approximately 120 miles north of Tucson.
Wednesday, Balafas was unable to clarify on how well Dervish and Meixner may have known one another.
“We feel terrible for the professor’s loved ones, friends, and coworkers. Our deepest sympathies go out to them “Wednesday at a news conference, University of Arizona Police Chief Paula Balafas stated the following. “It’s one of those things that you can’t even predict at times. Unfortunately, I’m at a loss for words because the situation is so awful.”
A photo of Thomas Meixner from the University of Arizona that is not dated. Arizona’s University of Arizona
According to Sgt. Sean Shields, Dervish has previous confrontations with the University of Arizona police. However, he failed to specify how many or when they occurred.
The institution awarded Meixner a doctorate in hydrology and water resources in 1999, and he joined the faculty in 2005, before being named department head in 2019. He was regarded as an authority in desert water matters.
The school reopened on Thursday, although the institution indicated that “courses may be postponed or repurposed in part to enable time for reflection on the loss of our cherished colleague.”
Various faculty members and former students praised Meixner on social media.
Director of the university’s Indigenous Resilience Center Karletta Chief met Meixner in 2001, when she was a graduate student and he was a new faculty member. While she was not one of his pupils, their hydrological research partnerships were regular. The last time she saw Meixner, a strong advocate for Native American and indigenous tribes exploring water concerns, was a week ago at a lecture co-sponsored by his department.
After the shooting, Chief emailed Meixner and several others in the hydrology department, and she was horrified to discover that he was the victim.
“It is inconceivable that anyone would harbor direct animosity against him. He was the polar opposite of that. He was exceptionally courteous, optimistic, and always eager to assist “Chief remarked that Meixner never disclosed to her that a present or previous student had caused difficulties.
Meixner was also kind off-campus, according to Chief. Once, he contributed to a marathon she ran for the Lymphoma Society.
“He expressed his gratitude for my participation in this race and revealed that he was a cancer survivor,” she stated.
A frustrated University of Arizona nursing student shot and killed three nursing professors before committing suicide 20 years ago this month.