Amy Prentiss, the girlfriend of Shannon Lamb, was found dead at a home in Gautier, Mississippi, before the shooting at Delta State University. (Facebook)
A Delta State University professor killed his girlfriend at a home in Gautier, Mississippi, before driving to the college’s campus and gunning down a fellow professor.
Amy Prentiss, 41, has been identified as the girlfriend of the suspected gunman, Shannon Steadman Lamb. He is also accused of killing Ethan Schmidt, a history professor at Delta State.
Lamb fatally shot himself late Monday night after being stopped by police.
Here’s what you need to know about Prentiss and the killings:
1. Lamb Allegedly Called Police to Report the Murder of Prentiss
Shannon Lamb. (Delta State University)
Lamb is alleged to have called police about 20 minutes before the shootings at Delta State, at about 10 a.m., to report the death of Prentiss at the home in Gautier, the Sun Herald reports. Police said they think Lamb drove about five hours to the Delta State campus, where he went to Schmidt’s office and shot him in the head.
Chief warning law enforcement looking for Lamb to be aware he commented “I’m not going to jail” when he spoke to police.
A motive for the shootings has not been made public.
2. She Was Managing Her Daughter’s Music Career & Was Involved in a Local Church
Amy Prentiss, right, with her daughter, musician Abigail Osteen. (Facebook)
According to her LinkedIn page, Amy Prentiss was managing the music career of her daughter, Abigail Osteen, a 19-year-old singer.
The suspected gunman, Shannon Lamb, was also a musician. He and Osteen were advertised as playing together at a Mississippi bar in March 2014. They most recently performed together in late August.
.@Blake_Kaplan spoke with a friend of Amy Prentiss who said she was an outreach minister at Oasis church. More coming to @sunherald website
Prentiss was also an outreach minister at Oasis Church, an interdenominational congregation in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The church posted on Facebook, “Asking everyone to pray for this family and especially Abigail Osteen, the daughter of the victim. Amy’s ex-husband, Jason Warren, served on staff at Oasis several years ago as director of Community Outreach before they divorced. Please pray for everyone affected by this tragedy and pray justice for the one responsible. We are praying for you Abigail Osteen!”
Lindsay Knowles, a friend who knew Prentiss through the church told the Biloxi Sun Herald, “She always wanted to help other people.”
3. Lamb Called Her the ‘Best Girl in the Whole Wide World’ in a Facebook Post
(Facebook)
In a Facebook post after completing his doctorate in July, Shannon Lamb wrote:
Doctorate Completed!!! This will mark my 7th year teaching at Delta State University, and I want to thank all of my colleagues, friends, and family who have supported me throughout this journey. I realize for many of you it must seem as if I simply dropped off the face of the earth for the past 18 months or so. I apologize for that, but please believe me when I say that I was doing the best I could do. Ask anyone who has written a doctoral dissertation, worked a full time job, raised a family, and tried to maintain a relationship with the best girl in the whole wide world. (Amy Prentiss) I love each and everyone of you, and hope to see you all sooner rather than later. Stay tuned!!!!
She replied, “I’m very proud of you!! Lightning is too . We love you more than anything and appreciate all of your hard work and dedication. Lightning thinks that this constitutes an ice cream celebration. I vote for Disney! ?. Congratulations, Dr. Lamb. I love you more every day.”
Lamb also called Prentiss, “My sweet baby angel,” in the caption of photos posted of her.
4. Prentiss & Lamb Had Been Dating for About 3 Years
(Facebook)
The couple had been dating for about three years, a friend, Lindsay Knowles, told the Biloxi Sun Herald.
Prentiss wrote to the Knowles that they sometimes fought, but did not mention any violence.
“He has issues way beyond … us two. His actions are a result of his issues, but ultimately he is responsible and makes choices as an adult person,” she told her friend in a Facebook message, according to the Sun Herald.
5. The Slain Professor Is a Married Father of 3 Children
Ethan Schmidt, a history professor at Delta State University in Mississippi, was killed in an on-campus shooting. (Delta State University)
Ethan Schmidt has worked at Delta State University as a history professor since 2013, after previously working at Texas Tech University. He completed his doctorate in 2007 at the University of Kansas, and received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Emporia State University.
A 39-year-old Kansas native, Schmidt is survived by his wife and three children.
