Yiran Fan, a 30-year-old Ph.D. student from Beijing, China, was tragically shot and killed on January 9, 2021, in Chicago, Illinois. Fan was a fourth-year doctoral student in a joint program of the Booth School of Business and the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. He was highly regarded by his peers and professors for his exceptional intellect, dedication, and kindness.
Fan had come to the University of Chicago in 2014 to study financial mathematics and later enrolled in the joint Ph.D. program after completing a master's degree in financial engineering from the University of Cambridge.
Fan's life was cut short in a senseless act of violence during a shooting rampage that began on Chicago's South Side and ended in Evanston. The perpetrator, Jason Nightengale, went on a shooting spree that resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including Fan, and injuries to four others. Fan was the first victim of this deadly rampage, which left the community in shock and mourning. Nightengale's rampage ended when he was killed in a shootout with Evanston police.
The University of Chicago community held a candlelight vigil to honor Fan's memory, where classmates, professors, and friends shared their fond memories of him. Fan was remembered as a brilliant student, a dedicated researcher, and a kind and thoughtful individual who touched the lives of many. His tragic death left a profound impact on those who knew him, and he was deeply missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.
In the aftermath of Fan's death, the University of Chicago established a memorial fund in his honor to support students in the joint program of Chicago Booth and the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics. The fund aimed to continue Fan's legacy by providing financial assistance to future scholars who shared his passion for economics and finance. The university community came together to support Fan's family and to ensure that his contributions to academia and his positive influence on others would not be forgotten.
