theSun | MONDAY APRIL 27 2009
news without borders
Professor kills wife,
two others in Georgia
WASHINGTON: A US university
professor on Saturday shot and killed
his wife and two others at a com-
munity theater in the college town
of Athens, Georgia, after getting into
an argument with a man, local news
media reported.
The gunman, identified as Uni-
versity of Georgia professor George
Zinkhan (pix), 57, drove off in his car
and was being sought by authorities,
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
reported on its website.
Two other people were wounded
in the shooting, the newspaper re-
ported.
The Georgia shooting was the
latest in a spate of high-profile mass
killings in the United States in recent
months – including half a dozen
rampages since March. The latest,
on April 18 in Maryland, saw a man
kill his wife and three small children
before committing suicide.
Zinkhan’s motives were unclear,
but witnesses told the Journal-Con-
stitution he argued with an unidenti-
fied man at the Athens Community
Theatre before he left and returned
minutes later brandishing two hand-
guns.
The people killed were identified
by a theatre company official as
Marie Bruce, 47 – Zinkhan’s wife
9
NOW OPEN AT BERJAYA TIMES SQUARE
“They tried to put up a ladder
with hooks. We started firing. When
briefs they saw us firing – we even sprayed
them with water with the firehose
– they gave up and went off.”
Meanwhile, a Yemeni govern-
Sri Lanka rejects ment official said Somali pirates
Tamil Tiger ceasefire seized empty Yemeni oil tanker
COLOMBO: The Tamil Tigers declared Qana in the Gulf of Aden yesterday
an unilateral ceasefire yesterday, but and two pirates were killed in
Sri Lanka dismissed it as a “joke” and clashes as the Yemeni coast guard
said only a surrender would stop tried to free the vessel. – Reuters
troops from finishing the last battle
in Asia’s longest modern war. Minister resigns for
– Ben Teague, 63, and Tom Tanner skipping work to go
40. Bruce and Tanner were officials
in the theatre company.
on dates
“We watched it happen,” wit- TAIPEI: A minister and key economic
ness Beth Kozinsky told the paper. adviser to Taiwan’s President Ma
“We were all in shock.” She said Ying-jeou has resigned after admit-
the theatre company was hosting a ting he had skipped work to go on
homecoming lunch for current and dates during office hours.
former members at the time. The resignation of minister without
The two people wounded in portfolio Chu Yun-peng came after
the shooting were not in serious Taipei-based Next Magazine published
condition, Athens-Clarke County a story with photographs showing the
Police Department Captain Clarence economist-turned politician out with
Holeman told his girlfriend during office hours. Televi-
the daily. Local “That is a joke. They were not fight- sion footage of a press conference late
police did not ing with us, they were running from on Saturday night showed Chu apolo-
immediately us. There is no need of a ceasefire. gising to the public and confirming
respond to calls They must surrender. That is it,” de- that his written resignation had been
from the media. fence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa approved by Taiwan’s premier. – AFP
Zinkhan and said in an interview. – Reuters
Bruce were mar- Pakistan launches
ried with two Italian cruise ship fires offensive against Taliban
children, aged at pirates, repels them
eight and ten, ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yesterday
a neighbour of NAIROBI: An Italian cruise ship launched a new offensive against
the couple told used guns and a firehose to beat Taliban militants in its northwest
the daily. After off an attack by pirates off the after coming under heavy US pres-
the shooting east African coast, the vessel’s sure to halt advancing extremists,
Zinkhan took the captain said yesterday. jolting a shaky peace deal.
kids to another Commander Ciro Pinto of the “Enough is enough. We have
neighbour’s home, the neighbour ing and distribution at the University MSC Melody, which has a capac- decided to flush them out,” interior
said. Holeman said the two children of Georgia, one of the oldest public ity of 1,500 passengers and crew, ministry chief Rehman Malik said.
were now in police custody. universities in the United States. said his ship came under attack “I appeal to the Taliban to lay
Zinkhan is a professor of market- – AFP 320km north of the Seychelles. down their arms.” – AFP