CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The man accused of shooting and killing a UNC-Chapel Hill professor appeared in court Tuesday where he was given no bond by the judge.
Investigators said Tailei Qi, 34, took a 9mm handgun to campus on Monday and gunned down his professor, Zijie Yan, inside Caudill Laboratories. The shooting sent the campus into lockdown for several hours as law enforcement searched for a suspect. UNC Chief of Police Brian James said the suspect allegedly fled Caudill Labs shortly after the incident.
Chief James said Caudill Labs was occupied at the time of the shooting. The building has since been closed for investigation.
Chief James said he believed Qi drove to campus before the shooting. Police said he was arrested as eyewitnesses reported him walking on Williams Circle around 2:30 p.m.
Qi is facing the following felonies:
- First-degree murder
- Bringing a gun onto educational property
The district attorney said Qi is a citizen of China and is here on a visa.
Maximum punishment of death and minimum of life without parole. However, the district attorney said they will not be pursuing the death penalty option.
Additional charges may be added as the investigation continues, according to UNC Chief of Police, Brian James shared in a press conference. Chief James said they are looking for any information out there whether it is social media evidence of what Qi's intentions were.
Qi has been booked in the Orange County Detention Center.
He is set to appear in court again on Monday, September 18.
Who is Dr. Yan?
Dr. Yan is a father of two young children, according to university officials. Zijie Yan was an associate professor at the university. He joined the faculty of Applied Physical Sciences in 2019.
Yan taught inside Caudill Laboratories, where investigators said suspect Tailei Qi shot and killed him.
They will ring the Bell Tower on Wednesday at 1:02 p.m. in Dr. Yan's honor.
Read more about Dr. Yan here.
University officials said classes are canceled until Wednesday, Aug. 30.
When classes resume, university police said they're increasing visibility to ensure the safety of students during peak times of the day.
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