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Last updated on Thursday, January 23, 2014
(WEST LAFAYETTE) - Classes are canceled at Purdue University Wednesday after a shooting left a teaching assistant dead Tuesday and a campus in mourning.
21-year-old Andrew Boldt was killed in the shooting. 23-year-old Cody Cousins was arrested for his murder. Both men were Purdue students. Boldt was teaching a lab section in the Electrical Engineering building when police say Cousins shot him. Cousins was taken into custody shortly after the shooting, which occurred just after noon Tuesday.
Cousins is due in court Thursday afternoon for an initial hearing. Police don't believe the shooting was a random incident, and they are investigating why Boldt was targeted.
Meantime, Purdue is offering counseling to students, who were shaken by the incident. Classes will resume Thursday.
Andrew Boldt was a senior at Purdue. The Wisconsin native graduated from Marquette University High School in West Bend.
Teachers who remember Boldt say he excelled in the classroom. In a basement workshop, his old mentors swapped stories with current students and reflected on his brief but bright legacy.
"He was such a role model for all of our students. He was the kind of son every dad wished he had," said John Wanninger, Boldt's robotics instructor and mentor.
Purdue President Mitch Daniels was out of the country when the shooting occurred. He will return to a heartbroken campus Wednesday.
Thousands of students gathered for a candlelight vigil on campus Tuesday evening, and counseling is being offered by the university.
School officials say Tuesday was about ensuring the physical safety of students. They say today's focus is on beginning the process of emotional healing.
"Today we're going to be focusing not only on the students but on preparing our faculty to receive them on Thursday when they come back to class. I think that will be a very important period - this interaction with the faculty, staff and students as we try to resume operations," said Tim Sands, Purdue provost.
Police say four to five shots were fired in the basement of the Electrical Engineering building. Crime tape was removed from outside the building shortly after noon Wednesday and most of the building reopened.
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