Professor on the loose, suspected in Saturday afternoon shooting on Prince Avenue, 3 dead
April 24, 2009 by Staff reports
Filed under News
UPDATE, 7:25 p.m.: Police are still searching for George Zinkhan, a University professor and suspect in the shooting deaths of three people at Athens Community Theater at noon.
Police surrounded his house in Bogart, talked at the house with bullhorns and broke down the front door to inspect the home, but Zinkhan was not located in the house.
Police are still tracking several suspects in red vehicles, according to the Athens Clarke-County Police scanner. Teams are patrolling the Prince Avenue area and the UGA campus for safety.
Sherlock Holmes performances have been canceled at the theater. Pajama Jam and the Ballroom Formal on the UGA campus will still be held Saturday night.
Tom Tanner, Marie Bruce and Ben Teague were the victims, according Town and Gown Players members. Tanner and Teague were set designers, and Tanner was going to be in the “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” play. Bruce was president of the Town and Gown Board of Directors and an Athens attorney who was married to Zinkhan. Teague was married to UGA English professor Fran Teague.
UGA Alert sent an emergency message around 2 p.m. saying UGA Professor George Zinkhan is a suspect in a Saturday afternoon shooting off campus and is still unapprehended.
George Zinkhan, 57, is a 6-foot, 3-inch white male with a goatee or beard. Current information is that he was last seen wearing a polo shirt, blue shorts, and a backpack on Saturday afternoon on Prince Avenue. He was last thought to be in a maroon 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade in the area of Prince Avenue. Use extreme caution if contact is made. Call 911 if you know his location. Please do not call 911 for information.
According to Red & Black reports:
Zinkhan is a marketing and distribution professor.
“There was no indication Thursday in class, I was just asking him marketing questions and he was answering,” said Chris Campbell, a master’s student who worked under Zinkhan for his assistantship. “We’re all stunned, and it’s hard to believe,” describing the Zinkhan as a “nice guy,” who he played softball with just a few days ago.
Witnesses say three people have been shot and killed. Police have confirmed others have been wounded. The suspect approached the Town and Gown Players Theater on Grady Avenue and started shooting. He fired his gun multiple times and ran away, said Alan Brown, assistant police chief for Athens-Clarke County Police.
Twilight Criterium events have not been affected, according to Marlee Waxelbaum, a UGA senior attending the events Saturday afternoon. “Thanks to UGA Alert, it’s certainly the talk of Twilight.”
“We’ve had to make some adjustments on how we’re handling Twilight,” Brown said. Police have to move blockades temporarily.
“I think the only people who really know about it are those who got the texts,” said Katelyn Teneyck, an intern with Swagger, the event coordinator that produces Twilight.
“I haven’t seen anybody talking about it other than the people working. I haven’t heard anyone say they’re going home or anything,” Fletcher Hodges, volunteer for Bike Athens.
“The University community is shocked and saddened at this tragic event” University President Michael Adams wrote in a statement. “Our first thoughts are for safety of the university community and for prompt apprehension of the person responsible. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who have been affected.”
He is a distinguished Coca-Cola Company professor. He received a Ph.D. in 1981 from the University of Michigan in business administration, an M.B.A. in 1979 from the University of Michigan in operations research and a B.A. in 1974 from Swarthmore College in English literature.
Check for further updates on redandblack.com
