Three people were killed on Saturday in a shooting incident in the southern US state of Georgia, and a professor from the University of Georgia (UGA) was believed to be the prime suspect.

The shooting took place at an off-campus gathering in Athens, Georgia, where the UGA is located. But authorities told local media that the campus is not on a lockdown because of the shooting.

Sonny Wilson, Athens-Clarke County coroner, confirmed three people were dead, but couldn't provide identities.

The UGA website issued an alert which identifies George Zinkhan, a professor from the university, as the prime suspect of the shooting.

"George Zinkhan is a white male in his mid-50s with a goatee or beard. ... He was last seen wearing a polo shirt, blue shorts, and a backpack. He was last thought to be in a red car in the area of Prince Avenue," the alert said.

Zinkhan is a professor in the department of marketing and distribution at the Terry College of Business, according to the university website.

The incident is being investigated by Athens-Clarke County police, with campus police assisting.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2009)