An MIT lab director and professor, Nuno F.G. Loureiro, was killed in a shooting at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday night, the university confirmed. Loureiro, a nuclear science and engineering professor from Portugal, was 47 years old.
Brookline police said officers responded to a report of gunshots at a home on Gibbs Street around 8:30 p.m. According to authorities, a victim was found with multiple gunshot wounds.
Loureiro was transported by ambulance to a Boston hospital, where he later died Tuesday morning.
MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro shot DEAD inside his Brookline Massachusetts home on Monday night. No suspect in custody.
Did the Brown University mass shooter do this?
His home is only 1 hour away from Providence. pic.twitter.com/NBNPGxfHhH
— JLR© (@JLRINVESTIGATES) December 16, 2025
What Police Have Said So Far
Deputy Superintendent Paul Campbell told WBZ-TV that officers located a victim who had been shot multiple times. Authorities did not immediately release further details about the circumstances of the shooting.
“No one is in custody,” Campbell said.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office described the case as an active investigation. “This is an active and ongoing homicide investigation,” the office said in a statement.
Nuno Loureiro’s Role at MIT
Last May, Loureiro was named director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, which the university describes as one of its largest laboratories. The center includes more than 250 full-time researchers, students, and staff working across seven buildings.
Loureiro had been with MIT since 2016 and was widely respected for his academic leadership and research contributions.
Research and Academic Background
Loureiro was known for his work on plasma science, particularly turbulence and the physics behind solar flares and other astronomical phenomena. He was also researching ways to harness clean fusion power as a potential tool to combat climate change.
In a 2017 interview, Loureiro spoke about his experience at MIT, saying, “Professionally I’m completely overwhelmed with what MIT is. You read about it and you talk to people about it, but before you’ve experienced it, I don’t think you quite understand the type of place it is.”
MIT Responds to Loureiro’s Death
An MIT spokesperson expressed condolences following the professor’s death.
“Our deepest sympathies are with his family, students, colleagues, and all those who are grieving,” the spokesperson said. “Focused outreach and conversations are taking place within our community to offer care and support for those who knew Prof. Loureiro, and a message will be shared with our wider community.”
