U.S. researcher ‘on verge of making very significant’ coronavirus findings shot dead: reports

A professor working on coronavirus research was found shot dead Saturday inside a home in Pittsburgh, Pa., according to news reports.

Bing Liu, 37, was found in a home in Ross Township, the Allegheny County medical examiner said, per NBC News.

Liu suffered wounds to his head, neck, torso and extremities, CNN says.

A second body, belonging to 46-year-old Hao Gu, was found an hour later, according to NBC News. His body was reportedly discovered in a car about 1.6 kilometres from the home where Liu was found.

The men are believed to have known each other, Ross Township police Det. Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp told CNN, which reports that investigators believe Gu killed Liu before returning to his car and dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

However, Kohlhepp said there’s “zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese,” CNN reports.

Liu was a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine “on the verge of making very significant findings” related to the novel coronavirus, a statement released by the university says.

“We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence,” the university said.

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— With files from Reuters

meaghan.wray@globalnews.ca