Suspect in UCLA murder-suicide identified as classes resume

John Gregory Image
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Police vehicles parked on the UCLA campus during a lock-down. June 1, 2016
Police officers gather on the UCLA campus during a lock-down. June 1, 2016
KABC-KABC

LOS ANGELES -- The suspect in an apparent murder-suicide on the UCLA campus has been identified as Mainak Sarkar, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Thursday.

Engineering professor William S. Klug was identified as the victim in the crime, which happened inside an engineering building around 10 a.m. Wednesday.

When authorities received reports of a shooting at the campus, it didn't take long for them to find Klug and another man's body in an office in the building.

Hundreds of officers from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and ATF, scoured the campus for a possible gunman or gunmen.

But by noon, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck announced it was an apparent murder suicide and said a note was found near the bodies, but did not elaborate on what the note contained.

Sarkar was a former student of Klug's, and authorities said they would focus on his grades and a "longer-standing" poor relationship between the professor and student.

All classes in the engineering building where the crime took place will remain closed for the rest of the week. The rest of the campus will remain open as school officials try to get students back on schedule in time for finals next week and the graduation ceremony.

A vigil is set for Klug at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Bruin Plaza and thousands of people have already said they will attend.