In October 2022, Prof. Thomas Meixner was tragically shot and killed by a former student, Murad Dervish, on the University of Arizona campus. Prior to the incident, faculty and staff had reported Dervish’s threatening behavior to university administrators and campus police. Despite these reports, the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD), under Chief Paula Balafas, failed to take effective action to prevent the attack. A subsequent review criticized UAPD’s handling of the threats and identified systemic issues in threat assessment and response. In May 2023, Chief Balafas was forced out of her position due to the department’s inadequate response to the escalating threats that led to Meixner’s death. [Source: Tucson Sentinel, December 12, 2023]
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