In brief
Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a 47-year-old physicist at MIT, was fatally shot in his Brookline apartment. The police are actively investigating the homicide, but no suspects are in custody. Loureiro had recently been appointed to lead the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT, focusing on advancing clean energy technology. This incident unfolds as another high-profile shooting incident remains unresolved at Brown University, raising concerns about campus safety.
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — Police intensified their search Wednesday for a suspect in the fatal shooting of professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who was shot at his home earlier in the week.
Loureiro, a 47-year-old physicist and fusion scientist, was shot Monday night at his apartment in Brookline, Massachusetts. He died at a local hospital on Tuesday, the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed that the homicide investigation is ongoing and no suspects were in custody as of Wednesday morning.
The investigation follows an unsettling shooting incident at Brown University, just 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, which resulted in the death of two students and injuries to nine others. Investigators have not disclosed any progress in their search for the gunman related to that case.
The FBI has indicated that there is no known connection between these two shootings.
Having joined MIT in 2016, Loureiro was appointed last year to lead MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, a significant laboratory with over 250 employees dedicated to advancing clean energy solutions. These efforts are critical in pursuing the future of sustainable energy technology.
Loureiro, originally from Viseu in central Portugal, had previously worked as a researcher at a nuclear fusion institute in Lisbon. He was recognized by colleagues for his leadership attributes, compassion, and dedication to science.
In a heartbreaking statement, MIT President Sally Kornbluth referred to the incident as a “shocking loss,” while the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed condolences, denoting Loureiro’s death as an “irreparable loss for science.”
A nearby student, Liv Schachner from Boston University, reported hearing loud noises on the night of the shooting, speculating it to possibly be gunfire. “It’s difficult to grasp. It just seems like it keeps happening,” she stated.
Loureiro's work was widely valued, with aspirations that it would help to shape the future, emphasizing the significant role of fusion energy in addressing global challenges.
