Man charged with murder in the death of LA-area technical college dean

Audio By Carbonatix

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A security guard was charged Tuesday with murder in the shooting death of the dean of a small technical college near Los Angeles, officials said.

The dean of student affairs, Cameisha Denise Clark, died at the hospital Monday after being shot Friday afternoon at the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology campus in Inglewood, according to family. Another female employee was wounded in the shooting.

Jesse Figueroa, 40, was charged with murder, attempted murder and several counts for possessing a firearm as a felon. He also faces gun sentencing enhancements, which can lead to additional penalties when a gun is used during a crime.

Figueroa will appear in court May 29 and faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted as charged. His public defender did not respond to request for comment.

The technical college's campus president, Chris Becker, said Figueroa worked for a company that provides security to the school.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts said last week it appeared to be an incident of workplace violence, but charging documents did not lay out a possible motive.

Clark's family said she had been recently promoted to dean at the school.

“Cameisha uplifted everyone fortunate enough to cross her path," her family said in a statement to KNBC. "Her leadership, integrity, and deep sense of purpose helped shape futures of countless students from the campus of Clark Atlanta University to Spartan College. She believed in the potential of others even when they could not yet see it in themselves.”