TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The outside of the John W. Harshbarger building at the University of Arizona is decorated in flowers, candles, letters and photos of Thomas Meixner. The long-time professor, and head of the Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences Department, was and shot and killed by former student, Murad Dervish, last Wednesday.
"It makes me angry that someone can steal someone else's future, steal a father from his children, steal a husband from his wife. It also makes me angry that it steals our sense of safety," said University of Arizona College of Law Professor, Susie Salmon.
Salmon was teaching a class on campus when the shooting happened.
"One of the administrators from the law school appeared in my doorway and said that we needed to leave the building in an orderly fashion as soon as we can," said Salmon.
President Robert Robbins shared this message with the campus community. Robbins said the university is reviewing all "aspects of campus safety, violence prevention, and public safety response." He added that this includes evaluating building security, threat assessment procedures and the university's alert system.
"I don't know how you handle something like this. I know for sure that the administration at the law school handled it in a way that I felt was responsible," said Salmon.
When it comes to preventing future violence and tragedy on campus, Salmon believes the entire community needs to come together.
"I just know the answer isn't more guns on campus. The answer isn't detaching more from each other," said Salmon.
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