Georgia college professor accused of killing incoming freshman

A professor at the University of West Georgia fatally shot an 18-year-old girl who planned to attend the school towards the end of this year.

According to police and local reports, Richard Sigman, 47, was arrested and charged with murder, possession of a firearm and aggravated assault in the death of Anna Jones, a recent high school graduate who was enrolled as an incoming freshman at the University of West Georgia.

Carrollton police said a man had alerted security at Leopoldo’s, a local pizza place, that Sigman threatened to shoot him after the two got into an argument at around midnight on Saturday, July 30. The argument soon spilled out to outside the restaurant, located in Downtown Carrolton – a busy nightlife area – and into a nearby parking lot.

When security approached the professor, they saw he had a weapon and told him to leave, according to cops.

Sigman left and walked toward a parking deck, where he allegedly began shooting into a parked vehicle where Jones was sitting, authorities said.

It was not clear if the man with whom he had been arguing was the intended target, or if that man had any connection to Jones.

The young woman was struck and her friends quickly drove her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The University of West Georgia said Sigman was fired after the charges were brought against him. A university spokesperson told 11 Alive News that Jones was enrolled as an incoming freshman at the school.

“The University of West Georgia has learned of the loss of one of its students, Anna Jones, who passed away following an off-campus incident earlier today,” school president Brendan Kelly said in a statement, according to CBS 46. “UWG has terminated the employment of Richard Sigman and continues to work with the city of Carrollton Police Department, which leads this ongoing investigation.”

Kelly added: “On behalf of the university, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to Anna’s family and many friends.”