A new court document revealed that 46-year-old Murad Dervish, the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting on the University of Arizona’s campus, had been expelled and barred from university property in February 2022.
An interim complaint shows that an email sent to staff members in February of 2022 contained instructions to call 911 if Dervish returned to the building. The email also contained a photo of Dervish. He had been the subject of several reports of harassment and threats to staff working in the Harshbarger Building and the Department of Hydrology.
The court documents also detailed that police found Dervish about 30 miles south of Gila Bend on Highway 85 headed toward Mexico but stopped him using a “PIT” maneuver after Dervish refused to stop his vehicle.
A search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed a 9mm handgun loaded with ammunition consistent with the 11 shell casings found in the building where the shooting took place. Dervish was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous Order of Protection, according to the court documents.
After he was read his Miranda rights but before questioning, Dervish reportedly told the police, “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 I couldn’t.”
Another individual was injured at the time of the shooting but was treated on the scene, the court documents reported. Dervish is now being held without bond.
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