Delta State University in Mississippi entered lockdown on Monday after a professor was shot and killed in his office, according to police.
Dr. Ethan Schmidt, a professor of American history at Delta State, was killed at approximately 11 a.m. Central time, prompting school officials to place the campus on lockdown. As of Monday evening, the campus was still on lockdown, as students were asked to move from the dining hall to relocate to their residence halls.
The suspect, Shannon Lamb, 45, attempted to evade police for much of the day Monday before being cornered by officers in a wooded area near Greenville, Mississippi, where officers say he committed suicide.
Lamb had been teaching geography classes online alongside Schmidt, according to CNN. Delta State president William LaForge said that Lamb had reportedly asked for a reduced number of courses due to health concerns, but would not disclose any specific health problems given.
Lamb has been linked to another murder approximately 300 miles away in Gautier, according to police. Amy Prentiss, 41, was found dead in her home early Monday morning after Lamb reportedly informed police of her death via 911. Prentiss was identified as Lamb’s girlfriend, and the two were apparently living together at the address, according to public records.
Police have yet to identify a possible motive for either case.
“We’re working under the assumption that both events are related,” Gautier Police Det. Matthew Hoggatt said Monday.
Law enforcement officials said that they had been in contact with Lamb prior to his death, who told officers that he would “not go to jail.”
Classes on the Delta State campus have been canceled until Wednesday. Delta State had been planning a full day of celebration Tuesday commemorating the university’s 90-year anniversary. The planned events have been postponed until further notice, according to officials.
