NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Just after 8:30 pm Saturday night---police said they received multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire and a person shot in the area of Nash Street and Lawrence street.
The victim, 26-year-old Kevin Jiang, was shot multiple times and died on-scene according to New Haven police.
Jiang was a grad student at the Yale School of Environment. “I’ll always remember him as being a very welcoming and wholesome individual and he was very proud to be a part of the Yale community,” Jiang’s classmate said.
The school held a virtual vigil for Jiang Monday night and both his parents were in attendance.
“He gave me a lot of joy, a very warm boy, always took care of me and I miss him,” Linda Liu, Kevin’s mother said.
“Like you all said, he is very charming, very friendly, very opening,” Kevin’s father said.
Jiang served in the US Army National Guard, during the vigil those who served beside him shared memories.
“Everyone that met him thought he was so -they’d call him Jiggy Jiang- because he was so energetic all the time,” Jiang’s friend said.
New Haven police said they are investigating why the deadly shooting took place, but they have reason to believe Jiang may have been targeted.
“We have developed information suggesting that this incident may not have been an actual random act that he in fact was targeted, callers reported seeing much during that day, but we do not want to give that information,” New Haven Police Chief Oniel Reyes.
The investigation remains active and there has been no word yet from police on a suspect.
Jiang's death marks New Haven's sixth homicide so far this year.