Spokesman: 3 dead, 1 hurt in shooting at University of Alabama-Huntsville campus

3 dead in shooting at U. of Alabama-Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Officials now say three people were killed and three hurt when someone opened fire in a University of Alabama-Huntsville faculty meeting.

University spokesman Ray Garner says a shooter is in custody and another person has been detained for questioning.

He says the three people killed were faculty members and the wounded were two faculty members and a staff member. No students were involved.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A woman opened fire during a biology faculty meeting at the University of Alabama’s Huntsville campus Friday, killing three people and injuring at least one more.

The shooter was in custody, but university spokesman Ray Garner said he could not identify her or the victims. Local television stations reported she is a faculty member.

Garner said three people were dead and a fourth injured. Trent Willis, chief of staff for Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, said several other people had been shot, but he did not have an exact number or their conditions.

Huntsville Hospital spokesman Burr Ingram said the hospital was treating three victims. Two were in critical condition and one was in stable condition. It was not clear if those three included the one injured person Garner mentioned.

Sophomore Erin Johnson told The Huntsville Times a biology faculty meeting was under way when she heard screams coming from the room.

The shooting happened in the university’s Shelby Center, a science building. University police secured the building and students were cleared from it.

The Huntsville campus has about 7,500 students in northern Alabama, not far from the Tennessee line.

The university posted a message on its Web site Friday afternoon telling students the campus was closed Friday night and all students were encouraged to go home. Counselors were available to speak with students.