Georgia College Professor Fatally Shot Incoming Freshman Student After Dispute At Pizzeria, Police Say

A college professor in Georgia allegedly shot to death a recent high school graduate sitting in a parked car, according to authorities.

Richard Sigman, a 47-year-old instructor at the University of West Georgia, faces charges of murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in connection with the death of Anna Jones, 18, police said.

Around 12:30 a.m. on July 30, officers in Carrollton responded to Tanner Medical Center after receiving multiple reports about a woman who had suffered a gunshot wound in a courthouse parking garage.

“Preliminary information indicates that Sigman and another male got into a verbal altercation at Leopoldo’s,” a nearby pizzeria, and the male “notified security that Sigman threatened to shoot him,” police said.

Security at the restaurant noted Sigman was armed and told him to leave.

According to police, Sigman then walked into the parking garage and allegedly “began shooting into a parked vehicle, striking the victim.”

Friends rushed Jones to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries.

Sigman was being held in the Carroll County jail.

In a statement, the University of West Georgia said Sigman, who reportedly taught business administration, was fired following the deadly off-campus incident.

The murder investigation is ongoing, and it's unclear if Jones was the intended target of the shooting.

WGCL-TV reported the victim had planned to attend the university in the fall and was enrolled as an incoming freshman.

“Anna was a beautiful, sweet, caring girl and I will miss her forever,” Jones' friend, Ethan Lepard, told the station. “There are so many good qualities, no one could list them all. She was always so positive, and was an amazing friend to everyone.”