Student falls from Fine Arts Center, community in shock

Austin Ramsey
News Editor 

Jacob Derting, 21, male student fell to his death and was found outside of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center, around 9:30 a.m. today. In a University statement released this afternoon, officials say initial investigation indicates the incident was an apparent suicide.

The Murray State Police and emergency management services responded and cordoned off the area from a mass of students in front of Waterfield Library minutes after Derting fell.

The area blocked off leads to the Zen Garden where the body was found. Several administrators and a detective are on site. A University official has reported the Derting has died. The Calloway County Coroner’s Office responded shortly after 10 a.m.
The body was taken away around 10:17 a.m. Police used a blankets and a vision shield to hide the student as they moved the body by stretcher to the waiting ambulance.

In an email sent to all students and as a message highlighted at the top of the University’s website, President Randy Dunn said the incident has impacted the University community. In that statement, the President’s Office canceled classes for the remainder of the day.

“We are a tight knit campus family and this impacts us all,” Dunn said. “I encourage students, faculty and staff to utilize the campus resources available. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

Students are being encouraged to talk to professionals confidentially regarding the Fine Arts building incident this morning. They can visit the Counseling & Testing Center in room 104C of the Applied Science Building.

A crowd of people gathered in front of the library, many with hands over their mouths, in shock of the incident.

Will Propes, sophomore from Paducah, Ky., said he had just walked up when three Murray State police cars were pulling up beside the Fine Arts building.

“I just saw him laying there,” Propes said.

Sally Ortman, sophomore from St. Louis, Mo., said she was walking to the library when she came upon a group of people standing in the mall area between the Library and Fine Arts.

“I walked up to my friend who said she saw a guy on the ground after she heard a scream.”

Several witnesses have been interviewed by police, and the University is yet to release an official statement.

Staff writers Meghann Anderson and Olivia Medovich contributed to this report.


A GROUP OF STUDENTS LOOKS AT THE SCENE WHERE A STUDENT FELL TO HIS DEATH FROM PRICE DOYLE FINE ARTS CENTER THIS MORNING. || PHOTOS BY ALLIE DOUGLASS/THE NEWS

FROM LEFT, MARSHALL SHANK, GRADUATE STUDENT FROM OWENSBORO, KY., JORDAN MITCHELL, JUNIOR FROM IRVINGTON, KY., AND BRYCE NORRIS, GRADUATE STUDENT FROM SALISBURY, KY., STOP A MOMENT IN THE CROWD OF STUDENT ONLOOKERS TO SAY A QUICK PRAYER. A STUDENT FELL TO HIS DEATH FROM THE PRICE DOYLE FINE ARTS CENTER THIS MORNING.