On a summer day that would end in tragedy, Dr. Rodger C. Haggitt, a 57-year-old White/Caucasian male, went to his office at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, unaware of the devastating events that would soon unfold. A world-renowned gastrointestinal pathologist, Haggitt was a respected mentor and professor in the pathology department. It was in his capacity as a supervisor that he had recently informed Dr.
Jian Chen, a second-year pathology resident, that his contract would not be renewed. This decision, born from professional concerns, would have unforeseen and fatal consequences on June 28, 2000.
Distraught by the termination, Chen had scheduled a meeting with Haggitt in his private office that afternoon. Shortly after Chen entered, he locked the door behind him. Employees working nearby reported hearing loud voices escalating into shouting, followed by the sound of gunshots around 3:45 p.m. In the ensuing moments, Chen, who had purchased a handgun two weeks prior, fatally shot Haggitt four times before turning the gun on himself. University police were called to the scene and found both men deceased inside the locked office.
The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of a murder-suicide. It was revealed that concerns had been raised within the pathology department prior to the shooting about Chen possibly obtaining a gun. Investigators found that Chen had meticulously planned his own suicide, preparing letters to be sent after his death. One of these letters was addressed to Haggitt, and it initially suggested that Chen did not intend to kill his mentor but rather wanted him to witness his suicide. However, the exact events that transpired behind the locked door, and what led Chen to first take Haggitt's life, will never be known.
The University of Washington community was left in a state of shock and mourning, flying flags at half-staff to honor the esteemed professor. The incident was the first time a faculty member had been killed on campus and the only shooting to have ever occurred at the UW Medical Center. The case was closed with the identification of Dr. Jian Chen as the sole suspect, who died by his own hand at the scene of the crime.
