UNC Shooting Suspect Deemed Unfit for Trial Due to Severe Mental Illness

Tailei Qi, accused of murdering his advisor, will be committed to a mental health facility with the possibility of trial resuming if his condition improves.

Tailei Qi, the doctoral student charged with the murder of a University of North Carolina associate professor, has been deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe mental illness.
Qi, who is accused of killing his advisor, Zijie Yan, has shown signs of delusional thinking, auditory hallucinations, and self-harm while in detention.
Two separate psychiatric evaluations concluded that Qi likely suffers from untreated schizophrenia, which prevents him from cooperating with his legal counsel.
Qi will be committed to Central Regional Hospital in Butner, North Carolina for mental health treatment. If his condition improves, the trial may proceed.
Qi was arrested after the fatal shooting of Yan, which sent the UNC campus into lockdown. In addition to first-degree murder charges, Qi also stands accused of a misdemeanor firearm possession on educational property.