UNC Graduate Student Charged in Faculty Adviser's Shooting Had Visited Gun Range

Tailei Qi, found unfit for trial due to untreated schizophrenia, had purchased a pistol prior to the fatal incident, according to federal search warrants.

• Tailei Qi, a University of North Carolina graduate student, is charged with fatally shooting his faculty adviser, Zijie Yan, on campus five months ago.
• Qi had visited a gun range the day before the professor was killed and had bought a pistol, according to information from federal search warrants.
• Qi was found unfit for trial after a judge said two mental evaluations determined he likely suffers from untreated schizophrenia. Qi was ordered moved to a state mental hospital.
• Authorities found Qi about 2 miles from the building. Qi denied owning a pistol but said he rented and shot one at a firing range with an instructor two weeks earlier.
• Authorities have not released a motive for the shooting and said previously they had not found the weapon used in the killing.

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