Children told cops they weren’t ‘surprise’ that dad fatally shot their mom even though he claimed she wasn’t his target

August 22, 2024 Sharon Banks

An Arizona State University professor and a father of two is facing serious charges after allegedly killing his wife with a shotgun in their home.

47-year-old David Zhu has been charged with first-degree murder following the death of his 46-year-old wife, Susan Yijuan Yan, according to court and jail records.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening, prompting Scottsdale police to respond to a shooting at 6:33 p.m. Court documents reveal that Zhu himself reported the shooting, claiming he had fired the gun while their children were present in the home.

When officers arrived, they discovered broken glass on the floor and what appeared to be a single gunshot hole in a wall.

Zhu’s wife was found lying face up in a hallway outside the master bedroom, unresponsive and suffering from gunshot wounds to her shoulder and upper back. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Investigators recovered two spent shotgun shells in the hallway, an unspent shell in the master bedroom, and a shotgun near the scene. A rifle was also found in the master bedroom closet. Zhu was taken into custody, and during questioning, he claimed, “I was trying to shoot the wall behind her,” according to court documents.

The couple’s children informed detectives that domestic violence had been a frequent issue in their home for many years. On the night of the incident, they reported hearing a “screaming fight” followed by two gunshots.

The affidavit noted that neither child expressed “surprise” that their father had shot and killed their mother.

In response to the tragedy, Arizona State University expressed condolences to those affected and announced that Zhu had been placed on administrative leave. He is also barred from campus and any college activities.

Zhu’s professional bio at ASU describes him as a faculty member in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, with a focus on strategic decision-making, corporate governance and innovation. He has published work in top scholarly journals and has received international awards for his research.