Webster University graduate Mary Francis Knight, 51, was among 12 victims killed in the Washington D.C. Navy Yard shooting on Monday, Sept. 16.
“She was a great patriot who loved her country and loved serving the USA,” family spokesperson Theodore Hisey said in an interview with WITN television station in Fayetteville, Va.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Knight graduated from Webster in 2004 with a master’s degree in computer resources and information management. Knight had recently been hired as an adjunct professor at North Virginia Community College where she taught two courses in information technology. She also served as a cyber security official with the Naval Sea Command in Washington D.C.
“We are shocked and saddened by the news that one of Webster’s own was a victim in the Navy Yard shooting in Washington D.C. this week,” said Patrick Giblin, Webster University director of public relations, in a statement to The Journal. “Webster University has reached out to the family and has asked for guidance from them about how they would like Mary to be remembered by the university. We are trying to be sensitive to their needs and to the tragic situation that they find themselves in. We also are trying to recognize that this story is still unfolding and that we may not have the most accurate information at this time.”
Knight, a resident of Reston, Va., leaves behind two daughters.
The shooting at the Yard began at 8:30 a.m. when the shooter, Aaron Alexis, used his security pass to access the Yard and begin his assault. Alexis, a defense contractor employee, was later killed in a shootout with police.
Knight graduated from Webster University’s former satellite campus at Pope Air Force Base in Arkansas.
North Virginia Community College released a statement grieving Knight’s death:
“It is with great sadness that we inform the college community of the sudden passing of our colleague, Mary Knight. Mary has been identified as one of the victims in yesterday’s Navy Yard Shooting in Washington D.C. She was an adjunct professor who taught information technology courses at both the Annandale and Loudoun campuses. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mary, her family, and everyone affected by this tragedy.”
Giblin said the university plans to release information on Knight’s life and her time at Webster University. Visit www.websterjournal.com for updates and photos throughout the week.
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