Last Saturday, August 17th, 47-year-old Chinese-American professor David Zhu from Arizona State University shot and killed his wife at home. Zhu is currently charged with first-degree murder, and bail is set at $1 million.
The Scottsdale Police Department confirmed that a shooting incident occurred at a residence around 6:30 pm on the 17th, where a woman was found shot and later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
The police did not disclose the reason behind the shooting incident. According to court records, Zhu’s two children, a 19-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old son, were at home at the time. They informed the police that they heard “screaming and fighting” before two gunshots were heard.
The records also indicate Zhu has a history of domestic violence over the years, including threats of murder or suicide, with recent increased frequency or intensity.
Investigators noted in the records that the two children present at the scene were unharmed. They mentioned that the children were not surprised by the fact that Zhu shot and killed their mother, given the long history of domestic violence between their parents.
After the shooting, the youngest child ran to the neighbors for help and called 911. Court records reveal that Zhu had also called 911 before, claiming the shooting was “accidental.” He later told the police, “I was trying to shoot at the wall behind her.”
When the police arrived at the scene, they discovered shattered glass and a clear liquid on the floor, marks from a shotgun blast on the wall, and traces of a bullet passing through.
The records state that a woman was found lying face up on the hallway floor outside the master bedroom, with bloodstains on the floor. The woman was unresponsive at that time, with a gunshot wound above her back.
Two used shotgun shells were found on the hallway floor. In the master bedroom, there was a shotgun and an unused bullet on the floor. Additionally, a rifle was found in the bedroom closet, and Zhu voluntarily provided information about a handgun next to the bed in the master bedroom.
“I was trying to shoot at the wall behind her,” Zhu told the police.
Arizona State University spokesperson confirmed on Monday that David Zhu was a professor in the Management and Entrepreneurship Department of the W. P. Carey School of Business.
According to the ASU website, 47-year-old Zhu graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Nankai University, then earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He started working at Arizona State University’s Business School in 2009 and currently serves as the Dean of the China DBA Program at W. P. Carey.
Chinese language newspapers reported that the deceased was 46-year-old Susan Yijuan Yan, who worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance company.
In a statement to The Arizona Republic, an ASU university spokesperson offered condolences to all those impacted by the tragedy, stating that Zhu has been suspended in accordance with relevant government policies, barred from campus entry or participation in any ASU events, as the university continues with personnel procedures.
Scottsdale Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Allison Sempsis stated that it is an ongoing investigation but assured that there is no threat to the surrounding community as it is considered an isolated incident.