By Jeffrey Collins
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A professor who taught anatomy and physiology was shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide at the University of South Carolina, a coroner said Friday.
Raja Fayad, 45, was shot several times in the upper body Thursday afternoon in a fourth-floor office at the university’s Public Health building, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said in a news release.
The identity of the other dead person was not released because the person’s family has not been notified, Watts said Friday.
No one witnessed the shooting, which happened in a small laboratory and adjacent office, State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said Friday.
The professor and the woman had a long-term relationship. SLED agents have searched several different locations but found no notes or other writing to help them find a reason for the shooting, Berry said.
Officers found a 9 mm pistol near the bodies, its magazine empty, Berry said.
Property records indicate Fayad owned a home near Lake Murray in Lexington County, but Watts said he was currently living at a long-term hotel with a family member.
Fayad came to the university in 2008 and taught anatomy and physiology among other classes. He was interested in trying to figure out if there was a link between chronic digestive track inflammation and cancer, according to his university biography.
He was graduate director and head of the Applied Psychology Division at the school’s Public Health Department. He got high marks from students on an Internet site that allows them to rate their professors.
The shooting was isolated to the campus office. Students and faculty learned about it from an emergency text alert from university officials saying shots were fired and they should stay inside.
On social media, students sent out pictures of classes continuing across the sprawling campus except for in the building where the shooting happened. At least one of them showed a table used to block a door.
University President Harris Pastides asked the school to honor Fayad with respect by showing someone they care. “Hold a Gamecock’s hand today,” Pastides wrote on Twitter.
School officials told professors not to penalize students who failed to show up for afternoon classes, even if they missed exams.
The university texted alerts and also interrupted programming on its cable system to warn students and others to stay inside.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press