Autopsy shows UNC-Chapel Hill professor was shot seven times

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The autopsy of the UNC-Chapel Hill associate professor who was gunned down inside a classroom in August showed that he was shot seven times.

The report, released Thursday said Zijie Yan, 40, sustained gunshot wounds in the head, left arm, chest, and abdomen. He also had a graze wound to his right arm. Nine shell casings were found on the floor.

He was found lying on the floor of his office. The shooting happened at 1:01 p.m. The cause of death was listed as "multiple gunshot wounds.," and the manner of death was classified as "homicide."

Yan, a father of two, lived in Apex and has family in western Wake County. One of his students is accused of killing him on Aug. 28 inside Caudill Laboratories.

Yan, who came to UNC in 2019, led his own research group at the school. The suspect, Tailei Qi, is a graduate student who was a member of Yan's research group.

Interviews with Qi to determine the motive behind the shooter are still ongoing, a report said. The gun used in the shooting has still not been found.

Prior to UNC, Yan was a faculty member at Clarkson University in New York and underwent postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago. He earned his Ph.D. at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.