Researcher ‘on the verge of making very significant’ coronavirus findings killed in apparent murder-suicide.
Bing Liu, found in his townhouse Saturday with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities.
Liu had solely lately begun researching COVID-19.
Dr Bing Liu, a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Medical Center’s Computational and Systems Biology Department, has been shot dead inside the home he shared along with his spouse in Pittsburgh.
The well respected 37 year old researcher was alone at his house in the 200 block of Elm Court in Ross Township on Saturday afternoon. When one other man generally known as Hao Gu – allegedly entered the residence via an unlocked door and opened fire striking him in the head, neck and torso with bullets.
His wife was not home at the time of the murder, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
Pittsburgh Police mentioned Gu then returned to his car parked 100 yards away at Charlemagne Circle and shot himself.
Based on Pittsburgh police, Liu and his alleged killer Gu knew each other prior to the murder-suicide, however the nature of their relationship is unknown.
Dr Ivet Bahar, head of the Computational and Systems Biology Department, advised the Post-Gazette that Liu had solely lately begun researching COVID-19.
He joined UPMC six years ago and went on to co-author a book and more than 30 publications.
An announcement released by his employer, UPMC’s Computational and Systems Biology Department, asserting his premature demise .
‘Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] infection and the cellular basis of the following complications,’ the statement read. ‘We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.’
“Dr. Bing Liu was an outstanding researcher, who has earned the respect and appreciation of many colleagues in the field, and made unique contributions to science,’ the statement said.
