Crime & Safety

Man Sentenced For Murder Of Yale Student From West Haven: Official

On Feb. 6, 2021 in New Haven, former MIT student Qinxuan Pan, 33, shot and killed Kevin Jiang, 26, a Yale grad student from West Haven.

In a photo provided by police in 2021, the now 33-year-old former MIT student Qinxuan Pan who pleaded guilty to murder in the shooting death of Yale grad student Kevin Jiang in 2021, was sentenced to 35 years in prison Tuesday.
In a photo provided by police in 2021, the now 33-year-old former MIT student Qinxuan Pan who pleaded guilty to murder in the shooting death of Yale grad student Kevin Jiang in 2021, was sentenced to 35 years in prison Tuesday. (NHPD)

NEW HAVEN, CT —Qinxuan Pan, 33, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the 2021 murder of Yale grad student Kevin Jiang, a Yale grad student, New Haven State's John P. Doyle, Jr. said Tuesday.

Pan, a former Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher, pleaded guilty to murder in February.

On Feb. 6, 2021, New Haven police were called to the intersection of Lawrence and Nicoll streets following several 911 calls reporting a shooting. When they got there, they found Jiang, 26, suffering from numerous gunshot wounds. He'd later be pronounced dead.

Find out what's happening in West Havenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

After an extensive three-month search in multiple states, Pan was ultimately arrested in Alabama and extradited back to Connecticut.

"Today, I would like to extend my condolences to the friends and family of Mr. Jiang who have endured such an unimaginable loss due to this senseless crime," Doyle said.

Find out what's happening in West Havenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Doyle extended his "gratitude to all law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, including the New Haven, Hamden, Meriden, North Haven, Yale University and Newington Police Departments, the Connecticut State Police, the Mansfield, Mass., Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department, various police officials in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service."

The case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Stacey M. Miranda and Assistant State’s Attorneys Kelly E. Davis and Gregory L. Borrelli, who were assisted by Inspectors Alfonso Vasquez and Peter Lavelle.

The New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office is grateful to Victim Services Advocate Christie Ciancola for her advocacy on behalf of the family of Mr. Jiang.


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