MIT Community Mourns Loss of Distinguished Professor in Brookline Shooting

BROOKLINE, MA — The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the scientific community are grieving the death of Professor Nuno F. G. Loureiro, 47, who was killed in a shooting at his Brookline home late Monday night.

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Loureiro was a world-renowned physicist serving as the Director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) and held dual professorships in the departments of Physics and Nuclear Science & Engineering.

The Incident and Investigation

According to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, Brookline Police responded to a residence late Monday following reports of a man with gunshot wounds. Loureiro was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning.

• Witness Report: A neighbor told CBS News they heard three loud bangs on Monday evening, which they initially mistook for someone kicking a door.
• Current Status: The Massachusetts State Police have launched a homicide investigation.
• Suspects: No suspects have been identified, and authorities have not yet commented on a potential motive.

MIT’s Response

MIT spokesperson Sarah McDonnell confirmed the loss in an official statement, expressing “deepest sympathies” for Loureiro’s family, students, and colleagues.

“Focused outreach and conversations are taking place within our community to offer care and support for those who knew Prof. Loureiro,” McDonnell said.

The university is withholding further details to avoid compromising the integrity of the ongoing police investigation.

A Legacy in Physics

Originally from Portugal, Professor Loureiro was a rising star in the global physics community. His career was marked by significant contributions to the understanding of plasma behavior, a field critical to the future of nuclear fusion energy.

• Education: He studied at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon before earning his PhD from Imperial College London.
• Career at MIT: He joined the faculty in 2016 and was later named the Herman Feshbach (1942) Professor of Physics.
• Major Honors: In 2015, he received the American Physical Society’s Thomas H. Stix Award for outstanding early-career contributions.
• Leadership: In 2024, he was appointed Director of the PSFC, one of MIT’s largest and most vital research laboratories.