Authorities are actively searching for the suspect involved in the fatal shooting of MIT Professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro. The incident occurred at Loureiro’s Brookline apartment on Monday night, resulting in his death at a local hospital the following day.
Investigation Details
The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Loureiro, a 47-year-old physicist and fusion scientist, was shot multiple times. As of Wednesday morning, no suspects were in custody, and the homicide investigation remains ongoing.
- Victim: Nuno F.G. Loureiro
- Age: 47
- Occupation: Physicist, Fusion Scientist
- Location of Incident: Brookline, Massachusetts
- Date of Shooting: Monday night
- Date of Death: Tuesday
Community Reaction
This tragic event follows a recent shooting at Brown University, located about 50 miles away in Rhode Island, which left two students dead and nine others wounded. The FBI has found no connections between the two cases.
Loureiro joined MIT in 2016 and was appointed to lead the Plasma Science and Fusion Center in 2022. This center is pivotal in advancing clean energy technology and employs over 250 individuals across seven buildings. His passing has elicited strong reactions from both the academic community and officials in Portugal.
Tributes and Memories
MIT President Sally Kornbluth described Loureiro’s death as a “shocking loss.” Dennis Whyte, an engineering professor and former head of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, praised Loureiro as a mentor and leader who made a significant impact on others.
The office of Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa issued a statement expressing that Loureiro’s death constitutes an “irreparable loss for science.”
Eyewitness Accounts
A Boston University student living nearby reported hearing three loud noises on the night of the shooting, initially fearing it to be gunfire. “It just seems like it keeps happening,” she remarked to a local publication.
Loureiro’s Legacy
Loureiro, who originally hails from Viseu, Portugal, had previously worked at a nuclear fusion institute in Lisbon. He aimed to cultivate future advancements in energy through his research.
Reflecting on his aspirations, Loureiro stated, “MIT is where you go to find solutions to humanity’s biggest problems. Fusion energy will change the course of human history.”
