Indo-American among Three Dead in US Varsity Shooting
An Indian-American professor was one of the three persons killed when a woman teacher allegedly opened fire during a faculty meeting at the University of Alabama in the southern city of Huntsville, reported PTI.
The Indian-American professor was identified as Gopi Podilla by Huntsville Police Chief Henry Reyes, said report. Podilla was the chairman of the biological sciences department
Maria Davis and Adriel Johnson, the other two persons killed in the shootout, were associate professors of biology, said report.
According to local media report, three people were injured in the incident that occurred on Friday. Of them, two were faculty members and the third was a staff member, said report.
Reyes said that a woman shooting suspect was in custody and a second person was detained, but not arrested, said report.
“We have a suspect and possible persons of interest,” he was quoted as saying while talking to reporters. “Until we go through everything, we’re not going to say exactly how many or who we have.”
Police did not give the reason behind the incident, but local television WAFF, citing authorities, earlier said that the woman shooter had opened fire after learning at a biology faculty meeting that she would not be granted tenure, report said.
The incident is reported to have occurred shortly before 4 pm in Shelby Hall in the university campus on Friday evening.
Police arrived at the scene at 4:01pm and residence halls were locked down at 4:10 pm, Reyes said, adding the building was secured by 5:45pm.
The University in an emergency notice posted on its website said that the shooter has been apprehended.
