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Ex-graduate student arrested after professor shot, killed at University of Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. — An ex-graduate student has been arrested after a professor was shot and killed Wednesday at the University of Arizona located in Tucson.

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Updated 10/6 at 11:55 p.m. EDT: The University of Arizona on Twitter on Thursday confirmed that the professor that was shot and killed on campus Wednesday was Dr. Thomas Meixner.

Tom was a wonderful and kind person, whose larger-than-life approach to being and doing inspired those around him and elevated the community. The world is different without him. He will be missed and loved by all,” said UArizona on Twitter.

According to The Associated Press, Meixner was head of UArizona’s Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences.

The suspect who police identified as Murad Dervish, 46, was a former graduate student, according to university Police Chief Paula Balafas during a news conference, according to the AP.

Original story: According to KSAZ, the University of Arizona Police Department, in a news conference, said a shooting occurred around 2 p.m. Wednesday on campus at the Harshbarger, where the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences is housed.

UArizona police said the victim was taken to a hospital where they later died, according to KSAZ. KSAZ identified the victim as a professor at the university.

The suspect was described as being a 35-year-old man with a dark complexion and short brown hair, according to KOLD. He was about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and wore a blue baseball cap with a dark-colored backpack.

According to KSAZ, UArizona police said the suspect was arrested during a traffic stop near Gila Bend just after 5 p.m. The suspect was later identified as Murad Dervish, 46.

According to KNXV, Dervish was a former student at UArizona and was not allowed in the building, UArizona police said. It was also reported that a staff member recognized Dervish and called the police.

UArizona officials on Twitter said that all remaining in-person classes on their main campus were canceled for the day following the shooting.

No further information has been released and the investigation is ongoing.