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A senior MIT professor was fatally shot at a Brookline residence, and investigators have not announced any arrest.
A homicide investigation is underway after MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, 47, was shot at his Brookline, Massachusetts, home, authorities said.
Police responded to reports of gunshots at a residence on Gibbs Street at about 8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, and found Loureiro suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, officials said.
He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead early Tuesday, Dec. 16, according to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and MIT.
The killing matters beyond a single neighborhood because Loureiro led one of MIT’s major research laboratories and worked in fusion science, a field tied to public energy research and federally supported science initiatives.
Investigators have released limited details while the case remains active, a common approach in homicide investigations as police secure evidence and protect witness information.
Authorities said Massachusetts State Police and Brookline police responded to a report of a man shot at a home on Gibbs Street and later opened a homicide investigation.
Loureiro was found late Dec. 15 and died the morning of Dec. 16, the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office said.
Police said no arrest had been announced as of Tuesday afternoon.
Brookline is in Norfolk County, meaning the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office has jurisdiction over homicide prosecutions in the town.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth told the campus community that Nuno F.G. Loureiro died early Dec. 16 from gunshot wounds sustained hours earlier, describing a profound loss for his family, colleagues, and students.
As director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Loureiro led a large research community, and his death has been felt across multiple departments tied to energy and physics research.
U.S. Ambassador to Portugal John J. Arrigo also issued public condolences, noting Loureiro’s international reputation and his leadership role at MIT.
The shooting has also had immediate effects beyond the university. Brookline residents have experienced an increased police presence and ongoing investigative activity near the scene, affecting normal neighborhood routines.
At MIT, the death disrupts the work of a major research unit that includes students, staff, and visiting collaborators, with university officials coordinating closely with law enforcement as the homicide investigation continues.
The case unfolded during heightened regional attention to public safety following a separate shooting at Brown University, though federal authorities have said the incidents are not connected.
MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, founded in 1976, has played a long-standing role in U.S. fusion research, supporting federally backed scientific work for decades.
MIT said Nuno F.G. Loureiro became director of the center in 2024 and also served as a professor of nuclear science and engineering and physics.
His research focused on theoretical plasma physics with applications to fusion devices and related scientific fields, placing him at the center of a research area tied to long-term energy development.
At the same time, authorities have stressed that the circumstances of his death remain under active investigation.
Law enforcement officials have described the case as an ongoing homicide inquiry, which typically involves continued forensic analysis, interviews, and review of evidence before any arrest is made.
No timetable for updates has been announced, and no charging decision had been confirmed as of Dec. 16, with officials saying further steps will be disclosed only if and when a suspect is identified.
A fatal shooting involving a senior university scientist raises broader public-interest concerns about community safety, investigative transparency, and how violent crime affects public institutions. Loureiro’s leadership in fusion research means the loss extends beyond Massachusetts, touching academic and scientific networks with national and international reach.
Authorities have said the investigation remains active and that no link has been found to other recent acts of violence in the region.
Attention is now focused on confirmed updates from law enforcement, including any developments related to suspects, charges, or public guidance.
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