A student walks on the campus of Yale University.
Kevin Jiang, a Chinese-American graduate student at Yale University, was shot and killed in New Haven, Conn. on Saturday (Feb. 6). Police said the incident was feared to be a targeted shooting, and no suspects have been arrested.
The victim, 26-year-old Kevin Chiang, had just been engaged for a week and was living with his mother and fiancée, who lived near the crime scene.
Chiang was a forestry major at Yale University and a frequent volunteer at Trinity Baptist Church. He was also a veteran, having served as a tank operator in the U.S. Army and was a member of the Army National Guard.
Police responded to reports of gunshots at 8:30 p.m. last Saturday and later found Chiang’s body slumped next to his Toyota with damage to the rear of the vehicle on Lawrence Street between Nicoll and Nash Streets in New Haven’s East Rock neighborhood. Investigators speculate that the shooting may have been preceded by a collision.
Neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots before police and emergency personnel arrived at the scene.
The New Haven Police Department provided new developments in the case Monday (Feb. 8), according to information gathered by investigators that Chiang may not have been shot at random and that the incident was feared to be a targeted shooting.
Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said, “We are investigating whether Mr. Chiang was actually targeted in this incident. The information we already have indicates that this incident may not have been a random act and that he was in fact targeted. Nonetheless, it is still a preliminary investigation and no motive can be determined.”
Reyes said Chiang was pronounced dead at the scene. So far, no suspects have been identified, and police are still investigating leads on another vehicle that fled the scene.
The incident is the sixth homicide in New Haven so far this year. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said Chiang was due to celebrate his 27th birthday next week.
“This past weekend, our community experienced multiple violent incidents, including a New Haven Public Schools teacher, a New Haven Public Schools administrator and a Yale University graduate student.” The mayor said, “I am deeply saddened by the death of Kevin Chiang, a student at Yale University’s School of the Environment, who died last night as a result of gun violence.”
Greg Hendrickson, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, told the New Haven Independent that he is now deeply saddened and that he had just agreed to officiate at Chiang’s wedding this week, but will now hold a funeral for him instead.
Chiang’s fiancée, who also attended Yale University, has not commented publicly so far. Jiang’s mother has also not publicly commented on the shooting.
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