COLUMBUS, Ga. — A Columbus State University professor has died after an accidental shooting early Monday morning.
Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan confirmed that Erica Anderson, 31, was fatally shot.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Bryan told WTVM in Columbus that Anderson was coming home from a trip to visit her husband and children in Indiana.
He also said that her roommate had been receiving threats from her son, including to hurt her and burn down the house. So when she heard a noise in the house, she grabbed her gun and shot Anderson.
Anderson worked in the Columbus State University Department of Theatre and Dance. Her family says she started this semester.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends, as well as the students she impacted,” University President Stuart Rayfield said in a statement.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 7 dead in fiery chain-reaction crash on I-85
- Secret Service agents conduct another card skimmer search at Georgia businesses
- Roswell High School star quarterback gifts his homecoming crown to team’s top fan
Anderson’s family wrote in an online fundraiser that her husband is currently undergoing cancer treatment.
“She was so passionate about her work and her students, and she was truly excited about building her future with the university community she had already come to love,” they wrote.
She leaves behind her husband and three children, all of whom live in Indianapolis.
Click here to donate to a GoFundMe campaign for her family.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group