THE PENDULUM

by Laura Smith, April 28, 2009

Last Saturday the quiet college town of Athens, Ga. was shaken up by an unlikely act of violence by a University of Georgia professor.

George Zinkhan, 57, a professor in the department of marketing and distribution at UGA's Terry College of Business, shot his wife, Marie Bruce, 47, and two other men: Tom Tanner, 40, and Ben Teague, 63.

The shooting took place around noon Saturday at the Athens Community Theater, a place Zinkhan spent much of his time as part of the Town & Gown Players. Marie was the president of the acting group.

Zinkhan left his children, 8-year-old son Jim and 10-year-old daughter Beth, in the car during the shootings. He then dropped them off with a neighbor, Bob Covington, saying there was an emergency and he had to leave them there.

Zinkhan seemed hurried and agitated, Covington told CNN in an article Monday. Police took the children about an hour later.

Police searched Zinkhan's house Saturday but found nothing out of the ordinary.

As of now, federal authorities said Zinkhan has a ticket for a flight to the Netherlands, where he teaches part-time and owns a home, for May 2. They are unable to find his passport.

According to the Associated Press, an FBI agent said Monday no one knows where Zinkhan is. But the FBI is working with its agents overseas as well as police in the Netherlands.

The Athens-Clarke County police have also issued a nationwide alert.

UGA president Michael F. Adams issued a statement saying: "We have had a tragedy this weekend that has impacted Athens and the entire University of Georgia community. We are saddened by the shooting that took place off-campus on Saturday, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those who have been affected. As we grieve, we are determined to move forward."

Elon senior Laura Luckhurst is a resident of Athens and was surprised to hear about the incident in her hometown.

"I think it's really weird because it's a college town. It's a pretty quiet place," Luckhurst said. "It's something you wouldn't expect to happen."