Man who killed himself at OSU museum was former officer

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio State University says the man who killed himself in a gallery at the campus’ contemporary art museum was a former university security officer.

In a statement today the university identified him as 63-year-old Dean Sturgis. The statement from Vernon Baisden, OSU public safety director, said Sturgis resigned in 2009 to avoid being fired. No other details about his employment were released.

No one else was injured in the shooting, which was reported at 11:20 a.m. Sunday at the Wexner Center for the Arts on the sprawling Columbus campus. It happened shortly after the museum was scheduled to open for the day with a Picasso-inspired show on display.

Wexner Center officials still were assessing damage to artwork, which Sturgis apparently vandalized before he fatally shot himself.