KRISTIN M. HALL, Associated Press Writer
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say a woman opened fire during a faculty meeting at the University of Alabama's Huntsville campus, killing three biology professors and injuring three other school employees.
University spokesman Ray Garner said the shooter was caught outside the building without incident, and no students were harmed in the shooting Friday.
Several students identified the woman who was being taken into custody as Amy Bishop, an instructor and researcher at the university. She was taken Friday night in handcuffs from a police precinct to the county jail and could be heard saying, "It didn't happen. There's no way .... they are still alive."
Local media also named the biology professor as the suspected shooter, though Garner said he could not identify her.
This was an update. Earlier story appears 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 three others, officials said. The shooter was caught outside the Shelby Center, a science building, without incident, according to university spokesman Ray Garner. Local media reported the shooter was a faculty member, though Garner said he could not identify her. A man was also being detained.
All three of those killed and two of the injured were faculty members. The third injured person was a staff member. No students were involved in the shooting.
Huntsville Hospital spokesman Burr Ingram said two of the injured were in critical condition and the third was in stable condition.
Sophomore Erin Johnson told The Huntsville Times a biology faculty meeting was under way when she heard screams coming from a conference room.
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 is known for its scientific and engineering programs and often works closely with NASA.
The space agency has a research center on the school's campus, where many scientists and engineers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center perform Earth and space science research and development.
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.
It's the second shooting in a week on an area campus. Last Friday, a 14-year-old student was killed in a middle school hallway in nearby Madison, allegedly by a fellow student.
"This town is unaccustomed to shootings and multiple deaths," Garner said.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
Go here for more reporting on the shooting, plus video from the scene, from The Huntsville Times.
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