Police announce $10K reward for details in NU doctoral student’s shooting

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information about the September shooting of Northwestern University doctoral student Shane Colombo.

An anonymous donor has provided the money “towards a reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction” of the person who shot Colombo on Sept. 2 in the 7500 block of North Clark, Chicago police announced Wednesday.

Colombo was walking about 8:25 p.m. in the 7500 block of North Clark Street when two people started shooting at each other, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Caught in the crossfire, Colombo was struck multiple times.

He was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he died less than an hour later, authorities said.

Police released surveillance photos of three suspects in the days following the shooting and are asking anyone with information to call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8261. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online.

Colombo, who was originally from Sun City, California, had recently moved to Evanston to join Northwestern University’s Ph.D. program as an incoming student this fall, according to a statement from university officials.

Colombo and his fiance, Vincent Perez, were excited to start a new chapter after dating long distance for two years while Colombo worked in New York City as a researcher at Columbia University’s Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab. Colombo had previously received a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University.