A university researcher who was making significant strides in his COVID-19 research was gunned down last weekend. According to police, Bing Liu was shot in his townhouse in an apparent murder-suicide.
The pandemic has changed everything.
Everyday life will be different for the foreseeable future as humanity waits on the development of a vaccine. Until then, we’re all likely to be practicing social distancing.
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Lots of research is underway.
Several possible vaccines are already being tested. Meanwhile, medical researchers around the world are working around the clock to improve our knowledge of the novel COVID-19 coronavirus.
One such researcher was Bing Liu.
Liu, a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, lived in Pittsburgh after relocating from his native China. He’d been working on COVID-19 research at the time of his death.
He was on the verge of something “significant.”
“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 wrote in a statement.
So what happened?
According to police, Liu was found dead in his home with gunshot wounds to his head, neck, torso and extremities.
A second body, that of the likely gunman, was found in a car outside.
Is there a motive?
Detective Sergeant Brian Kohlhepp said Liu and the assailant likely knew each other, but there was “zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese.”
It’s a strange story.
From all accounts, Liu was an unassuming researcher who was well-liked by his colleagues. Police haven’t released any further details on how he may have known his killer.
Rest in peace, Dr. Liu.
While there’s lots of ongoing COVID-19 research right now, it’s a shame that such a talented researcher has lost his life.
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