JEDDAH, 29 May — Police in Jeddah are investigating the shooting of a Saudi history professor by a Saudi graduate student.
The attack took place at King Abdul Aziz University (KAAU) in Jeddah on Monday.
KAAU students and teachers expressed shock at the incident.
Eyewitnesses said they were stunned when they heard gunshots followed by the professor’s screams around noon.
Never before in the Kingdom’s history has a university professor been attacked by a Saudi student.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Rabighi, supervisor in the history department, was wounded in the shooting and is being treated at King Abdul Aziz University Hospital.
Sources told Arab News that investigators were focusing on the circumstances that led to the incident. Witnesses said the student stormed into Al-Rabighi’s office and opened fire at him after a verbal exchange.
“We heard the sound of six gunshots from inside the office,” they said.
They added the attacker had not attempted to escape and had in fact remained on the scene until the police arrived and took him away.
The wounded professor was immediately rushed to hospital and doctors removed the bullets lodged in his thigh.
Dr. Talal Bakhsh, who supervised the surgical operation to remove the bullets, told the crowd later that the professor was safe and out of danger.
The incident was the talk of the university yesterday as students and teachers expressed dismay and anxiety at the event.
Life was as normal as possible at the university yesterday as final examinations went on without disruption.
Two weeks ago a secondary school student in the northern region of Jouf opened fire on his school director who had transferred him to another school.
Barjas Al-Shammary, the director, said the student came to his house with another person at 1 a.m.
He demanded to be readmitted to the school and when his demand was refused, he shot the director. Police later arrested the student and his accomplice.
