UPDATE: Prof who called for assassination of NRA CEO still employed at public university

A history professor who seemed to call for the death of the National Rifle Association’s CEO in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting is still teaching at the University of Rhode Island, a spokesman told Campus Reform on Thursday.

The outspoken professor’s employment continues despite apparent investigations into his remarks by the university’s dean’s office, the Rhode Island State Police, and a number of online news outlets.

The school’s spokesman Dave Lavallee confirmed on Thursday that Loomis continued as a professor but declined say whether or not there had been disciplinary action taken against him, citing privacy rules.

”Even if we were taking disciplinary action against the professor we can’t discuss it because its a personnel mater and we are prohibited by state law and regulations from discussing personnel matters,” he said.

Since Campus Reform published a story earlier this week highlighting the stream of remarks on Twitter, Loomis has deleted his account, and turned to his personal blog to defend himself and issue a partial apology.

”I want to make it blindingly clear that I did not call for the assassination of Wayne LaPierre,” wrote Loomis. “In my world, calling for someone’s head on a stick is a metaphor to hold them responsible for their actions… I think the last time ‘head on a stick’ actually meant murder was sometime around 1450.”

But Loomis also expressed regret for using “intemperate” language.

”What stinks about it is that it has now involved my family, colleagues, and university,” he wrote. “[I]’ll apologize to them and to anyone legitimately offended by my metaphor.”

On his blog he also complained that he had been forced to meet with two Rhode Island State Police officers over his remarks and the university’s dean.

”I now have to meet these police officers at a gas station in the middle,” he wrote, apparently wary of their intentions. ”Yes, this sounds a bit suspicious to me too. If this is a trap and I get shot tonight, let it be known that someone had to say these things.

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