TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Murad Dervish, the ex-student charged with shooting and killing University of Arizona Professor Dr. Thomas Meixner told police he acted because he felt disrespected in the Atmospheric Sciences Department where he had been a student.
In an interim complaint, the charging document prepared for Dervish first court appearance, police said after they gave Dervish the required Miranda warning against self-incrimination he said: ”I hope he’s okay, probably wishful thinking.” “I just felt so disrespected by that whole department,” “A woman wouldn’t have done this.”, and “I was going to kill myself, shoot myself, but couldn’t”.
The court document says several people saw Dervish enter the classroom building, and called 911, knowing he was regarded as a danger. Investigators say Dervish shot Meixner four times.
The report says Arizona DPS found Dervish near Gila Bend, driving towards Mexico on Arizona State Road 85. They say he continued driving two to three miles so they used a PIT maneuver to force him to stop. In a PIT maneuver, officers use their own vehicles to bump a suspect's car in a way that forces it to spin and stop.
Officers say, in the car, they found a 9mm handgun consistent with the gun that shot Thomas Meixner four times.
The complaint says after repeated incidents of harassment by Dervish, the University of Arizona expelled Dervish in Feb. of 2022, and circulated a notice that he was forbidden on University property.
Tucsonans who lived near Dervish or crossed paths with him described a man prone to frightening rage attacks.
In our background, we found he lived in California, three cities in Pennsylvania, one town in New Jersey, and a city in South Carolina.
In California, his mother filed a domestic violence complaint against him in 2011.
In South Carolina, his father filed a restraining order against him in 2012.
Here in Tucson, we found an order of protection filed by a different UA professor than Doctor Meixner. A judge ordered Dervish to stay away from that professor and his family at work and at home.
Dervish is held without bond at the Pima County Jail as the murder case against him proceeds.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
