ASU Grad Student Shoots Himself in Professor's Office; Building on Lockdown

By James King Mon., Oct. 26 2009 at 12:57 PM

Categories: News

Arizona State University police are reporting that a graduate student shot and killed himself inside a professor's office a little over an hour ago.

We're waiting to hear back from the ASU Police Department but here's what we know: The incident happened at the College of Design South building on ASU's Tempe campus. There were reportedly a lot of students in the building, which was immediately locked down.

Our friends at The State Press, ASU's student newspaper, broke the story and alerted us to the incident. They say the student was apparently talking with the professor inside his office when he decided to take his own life.

Within minutes, a text-message alert was sent to ASU students and employees telling them what happened and that there was no immediate threat.

ASU officials were quick to issue an official statement, saying the university was deeply saddened to report the loss.

At the moment, there is no information about the student or the professor, other than that the student is dead.

Stay tuned -- we'll keep you posted.

Tags:

arizona, asu, phoenix, professor's office, student, suicide, tempe

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How stupid can you be? Posting this bogus statement on an issue this sensitive......smh
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See, I should know better by now. I really should. Yet I go ahead and do it anyway.
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I imagine there are few fans outside of the 40 "chosen ones" each year. Thank God I no longer have to participate in that stupid waltz. And to anyone else getting distraught over graphic design: It's just fucking graphic design, ok? It has no more inherent value in the world than wrenching water pipes together. Some of the best designers I've worked with never went to school, and some of the worst I've worked with have masters degrees (and vice versa). For those of you kids who are currently playing the "get into upper-division" game, relax. You'll either take the "Mookesh" path or some other path. But never take it that personally or that seriously, as a motivated person and a bit of hard work can go a LONG way in the absence of a BSD. That diploma will not get you much work, but a kick-ass book WILL.
I've also had Mookesh as a professor, and he is one of the most student oriented professors I know. He gives much of his personal time to his students, they are his first priority. This is a tragic situation, but his commitment and relationship to his students should not be in question. Posted On: Tuesday, Oct. 27 2009 @ 5:15PM >>> are you kidding? his opinions and your adherence to them are his first priority. because you were a preferred customer means I shouldn't speak my opinion? When should I call my point into question, when something like this DIDN'T happen; it bothers me to see the guy lauded in such a way; it concerns me & causes me to raise an eyebrow when someone kills themselves in the office of someone who I have such an issue with. As far as my time with the dude goes; I finished the program and am a professional in a firm in Tucson. I've chosen, and for good reason, to remain anonymous to preserve my name. I'm not interested in Mookesh related partisan b.s.; I am interested in an editorial, in a public forum at an appropriate time. I've never said anything mean or disrespectful about his character to him or to others. It is what it is. I never said that Mookesh is in anyway responsible for the act of suicide. If the victim were to blame Mookesh for his woes he still wouldn't be responsible. I didn't appreciate the guy's instruction and I was never driven to even think of such extremes On a side note, a "true that" is in order for Anonymous @ 6:54
Chip, I will apologize. I didn't mean to step on toes, honestly. I've been the recipient of some really good counseling over the years and appreciate all of what you folks are trying to do. With regard to suicide, daily living issues, or whatever. That said, you folks often use all your resources to 'come up' with a solution for a client, and yes - you help your clients find their own solutions through conversation. I tend to be a self-helper and since I'm over 50 I feel I can speak about Joe Average and his experiences in life. Perhaps not. We don't know yet what this guy's reason is for killing himself where he did. He may have benefited from counseling....
Is it possible to close the comments on this story? There is so much disrespect and speculation clouding it. It makes me feel sick.
" Have you come in contact with the Dove Real Women campaign?" Yes. Worked with Unilever before. If a marketing strategy came through that showed more promise of selling product through the use of half-starved Vietnamese girls, they'd go there in an instant (and not even blink). They just like the PR generated by making people THINK they are socially aware. If you care about social awareness, go visit one of their Chinese soap factories for a day. That will bring you back down to earth. After you spend a decade fighting for $30,000/year jobs and competing against the Collins College hacks, you'll quickly ditch the social change agenda. Have fun changing the world.
I am outraged at the idea that Professor Patel plays favorites. I am a senior in the design program at ASU and he was my direct professor last year, and I am still in regular contact with him. He is one of the most caring professors I have ever known. I watched his interactions with other students in my class and they were always professional, constructive, and beneficial. As always, I find it interesting that for whatever reason, the most hurtful comments have been left by "anonymous" posters. Leave your name if you really feel like making a statement. If you don't, it makes it that much easier to dismiss you. A direct comment to anonymous #2@ 10:58AM: "I think it's sad that designers feel the emotional need to have this (quite literally) insane world of academia put some kind of "stamp of approval" on their work. What deeper meaning in design can you possibly explore that is terribly significant to even a fraction of the population?" Perhaps you'd like to attend Senior Show at the end of this year. Each student is tasked with learning about and designing an exhibit around SOCIAL ISSUES relevant to the general public. My topic is Bipolar Awareness and reducing social stigma. Professional designers seek to make real change in the world through their media - print, web, TV, etc. Have you come in contact with the Dove Real Women campaign? Or the Meth: Not Even Once campaigns? Without such good design, the impact would not be nearly as effective. Also, @Real, Monday, Oct. 26 2009 @ 10:20PM "Although nobody deserves to witness that, maybe the professor was being extremely unreasonable about something and it just pushed the guy over the edge to the point of suicide." I'm not sure you actually understand the nature of suicide. It might do you some good to work on understanding mental health issues. To anyone who made it to the end of my comment, thank you. Please tell those you care about that you love them and that you appreciate them. Life is short and precious. Don't take them for granted.
I knew both of the people involved in this incident. Mookesh Patel was a professor of mine, and is a great person. Mookesh was a challenging professor and cares about his students in ways Anonymous@10:26AM must have missed because of some personal issues. @Real: I can promise you that I was one of Mookesh's most troublesome students, and he has never, would never and could never push a student in any way that you are suggesting. I also had David as a TA for a semester and found him to be a friendly and smart guy. I can't understand what drove him to do this, and I am sorry that he chose to do this. I saw him just a few weeks ago it seems, at an event. He was fine, about to graduate. He was a good person. None of this makes sense, neither David's choice to kill himself, nor his choice to do it in front of Mookesh. Speculation is pointless, but hurtful, irresponsible speculation is just immature and should stop.
I've also had Mookesh as a professor, and he is one of the most student oriented professors I know. He gives much of his personal time to his students, they are his first priority. This is a tragic situation, but his commitment and relationship to his students should not be in question.
Who wants to spend years playing that maddening game of "Does he really like me and my work?". It's type. You put it on a page and move it around. Hit "save" when it's finished. Some do it better than others (and with a touch of beauty). Most do it quite badly, despite a plethora of tools. But if you're looking for deep meaning, you'll only find it in your own mind. Most everyone else just throws it in the trash after they get what they need out of it. Then there are those who save it from the trash, include it in a design book and then talk about it for the next three decades (even while the designer kept moving and just created more disposable work). I think it's sad that designers feel the emotional need to have this (quite literally) insane world of academia put some kind of "stamp of approval" on their work. What deeper meaning in design can you possibly explore that is terribly significant to even a fraction of the population?
I had Mookesh as a Professor for two semesters; I'm not aware of the m.o. of the suicide victim; on the other hand I know that Mookesh is the type of professor that plays favorites; when he doesn't like you he acts not as the terse, ethically driven archetype of a professor; more, he makes things awkwardly personal/emotional and lacks skills in proper student/professor conduct.
Who knows what happened at this point. I'm sure more will come out later. The known relationship that exists here is the relationship between the graduate program leader (Mookesh) and the grad student. Any number of tensions could have existed between the two. I do know that at some point, your thesis is either being accepted or it is not, and that has a big impact on one's future. Doing grad work is not as simple as showing up and not getting D's and F's. Your work needs to be embraced by those who sit in power and it needs to be accepted. In fields such as physics and biology, success is more easily measured. In fields such as graphic design, a massive amount of subjectivity is involved. So much subjectivity, that entering such a program puts one at risk of doing quite a bit of work and investing a lot of money, only to have the work eventually rejected.
Although nobody deserves to witness that, maybe the professor was being extremely unreasonable about something and it just pushed the guy over the edge to the point of suicide.
in response to TommyC, as a professional counselor I have worked with many people in their 50s, 60s and even 90s. Many people, yes even our older population continue to look for ways to improve their lives- maybe why a 59 year old was back in school. They have not as you said "heard everything a counselor might come up with." By way of knowledge as a counselor we do not "come up" with anything but rather assist people in working through their issues. We allow for a safe, non-judgemental environment for people to talk about their problems and also the things that are going well for them. People of all ages continue to have issues. For this individual counseling may have helped. There is no way of knowing that at this point. I am not blaming anyone, however suicide is an ASU issue, as well as an issue for everyone else.
What The Class Retard doesn't understand is that no one is going to read the crap he posted, because he's an irrelevant loser, Chicago Guy. And what a retard, offing himself in front of his teacher? Obviously he knows he is going to traumatize his teacher with such an act. What an inconsiderate loser. The world's a better place without him.
while I support enforcement of our imigration laws , I find The Class West post of a lawsuit kinda inappropriate. Maybe they are serving by publication but this doesnt seem right. Why does the New times allow this????? it is also on some of the other blogs in this crazy online paper. the New Times should edit better.
Funny thing, like Jessica I assumed the 'student' was a young man (under 30). Now that details are coming out we find out the 'student' was 59 years of age. Only young by comparison to a 90 year old, I guess. If the guy was 59 and killed himself, it's not likely counseling might have helped. Once a person has reached 50 they've pretty much heard everything a counselor might come up with. I don't see this as an ASU problem, really. But some people like to blame everything on someone or something else...
@Michael, how can you say ASU has no outreach program? ASU employs so many advisors and counselors that it's hard for me to believe there is no outreach program. Its a large school, with a diverse student body and this sort of thing is bound to happen. Guess what? There are a lot of resources for a student who is bending under the pressure of depression and school. Unfortunately, the student has to be in charge and seek counseling and under mental stress this seems impossible. However, you can not expect counselors to walk around campus looking for depressed students. I don't want to speculate, but it looks like the student was talking to their professor...in private...that sounds like a good way to start a conversation about stress and school. Turns out, it was too much.
Jessica, I am sure ASU will be fine. This guy had issues and there is no real outreach program on this campus. I think the campus has to consider the stresses of being a college student and outfit themselves with the proper tools to help people who feel this way. This is not the first suicide ASU has had. Two years ago a friend of our family's, who was a student at ASU, shot himself at inside his truck on campus. ASU didn't change then. Why would it now?
As a student at ASU, it saddened me deeply and scared to get a text, while on campus, that someone took their own life. I hope that more students start to realize there is help and this affects everyone, whether or not you know the person. I did not know the young man today, but I know that his family will never be the same. ASU will never be the same...