New York
Professor researching Covid-19 was killed in an apparent murder-suicide, officials say
A University of Pittsburgh medical researcher described as being “on the verge of making very significant findings” about the novel coronavirus was shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide, according to the university and police.
Police said Bing Liu was found dead in his Ross Township home with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, body and extremities.
An hour later, a second person, 46-year- another man, Hao Gu, was found dead nearby in his car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
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Investigators believe Gu killed Liu in his home before returning to his car and taking his own life, Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp of the Ross Police Department said in a statement.
Police believe the men knew each other, but say there is “zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese,” according to Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp.
The university issued a statement saying it is “deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt. The University extends our deepest sympathies to Liu’s family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”
“Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications,” his colleagues at the university’s Department of Computational and Systems Biology said in a statement