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Killing of Zheng Shaoxiong

ONGOING2021900 block of East 54th Street, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Zheng Shaoxiong ('Dennis' Zheng), the victim
Zheng Shaoxiong ('Dennis' Zheng), the victim — Credit: Copyrighted — editorial use

On the evening of November 9, 2021, Zheng Shaoxiong, a 24-year-old graduate of the University of Chicago's Master of Science in Statistics program, was fatally shot on the sidewalk in the 900 block of East 54th Street in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. According to court documents, Zheng was carrying a large laptop when he was seen by 19-year-old Alton Spann, who was riding in a stolen car with two other people. Spann is alleged to have used a gun to attempt to rob Zheng. During a struggle as Zheng tried to escape, Spann shot him once in the chest. Zheng was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He was reported to be the second international student from China killed in Chicago in 2021.

Zheng was born in Leshan, Sichuan, China, in 1997 and was raised by his mother following his parents' divorce. He graduated from Sichuan Chengdu No. 7 High School in 2015 and went on to study at the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Hong Kong, graduating with first-class honors in 2019. He entered the University of Chicago for graduate study in 2019 and completed his master's degree in statistics in summer 2021, intending to pursue a career in data science in the United States.

On November 12, 2021, then-Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown announced that Spann had been charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon; the court denied him bail. On December 28, 2021, the original set of charges was expanded from six to 23 counts. Court proceedings continued into 2022, with a hearing held online in the Cook County court system in January 2022, at which Spann was noted to face six charges including murder, intentional wounding resulting in death, and robbery. He did not enter a guilty plea, and the case was continued to a later date.

The killing drew significant public reaction. The University of Chicago's president, Paul Alivisatos, issued a video message expressing condolences and describing gun violence in the city as an issue requiring urgent collaboration between the university and city leaders. The university held safety webinars and a memorial service at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel on November 18, 2021, attended by more than a thousand people, including Zheng's parents and representatives of the Chinese consulate. Chinese students in Chicago organized a rally on November 16, 2021, protesting gun violence, and a fundraising drive for Zheng's family collected roughly $30,000 from more than 5,200 donors. The Chinese government, including the Consulate General in Chicago and then-Ambassador Qin Gang, issued public statements of condolence and called on U.S. authorities to investigate the case and protect the safety of Chinese citizens in the country.

Key facts

Victims
Zheng Shaoxiong
Date
2021
Location
900 block of East 54th Street, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois
Case status
ongoing

Case timeline

  1. 1997

    Zheng Shaoxiong is born in Leshan, Sichuan, China.

  2. 2015

    Zheng graduates from Sichuan Chengdu No. 7 High School.

  3. 2019

    Zheng graduates from the University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Science degree with first-class honors and begins graduate studies at the University of Chicago.

  4. 2021-06

    Zheng graduates from the University of Chicago with a Master of Science degree in statistics.

  5. 2021-11-09

    Zheng is fatally shot during an armed robbery on East 54th Street in Hyde Park, Chicago, and later pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

  6. 2021-11-10

    University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos issues a campus statement expressing condolences.

  7. 2021-11-11

    The University of Chicago hosts a safety webinar; the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago issues its first public statement on the case.

  8. 2021-11-12

    Alton Spann is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon; he is denied bail.

  9. 2021-11-13

    The University of Hong Kong's Department of Development and Alumni Affairs and its president issue statements mourning Zheng.

  10. 2021-11-15

    A donation drive for Zheng's family begins collecting funds.

  11. 2021-11-16

    Chinese students hold a rally in Chicago protesting gun violence in memory of Zheng; the University of Chicago publishes an obituary.

  12. 2021-11-17

    Zheng's parents arrive in Chicago from Shanghai.

  13. 2021-11-18

    A memorial service for Zheng is held at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel; Ambassador Qin Gang issues a public statement.

  14. 2021-11-19

    The Chinese Consulate General in Chicago issues a second public statement; acting Consul General Huang Liming gives a video statement.

  15. 2021-11-22

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian expresses condolences to Zheng's family at a press conference.

  16. 2021-12-28

    Spann's charges are increased from six to 23 counts at a court appearance.

  17. 2022-01

    An online court proceeding is held in Cook County; Spann does not plead guilty and the case is continued.

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People

  • Alton Spann

    CHARGED

    Then 19-year-old charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with the killing of Zheng Shaoxiong; charges later expanded to 23 counts.

  • Zheng Shaoxiong

    VICTIM

    24-year-old University of Chicago graduate fatally shot during an armed robbery on November 9, 2021.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • Zheng Shaoxiong ('Dennis' Zheng), the victim

    portrait victim

    Zheng Shaoxiong ('Dennis' Zheng), the victim

    Credit: Copyrighted — editorial use · Source

Places

900 block of East 54th Street, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois

41.7997, -87.5957

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On November 9, 2021, 24-year-old University of Chicago graduate Zheng Shaoxiong was fatally shot during an armed robbery in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. Alton Spann, then 19, was charged days later with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Where did the killing happen?
900 block of East 54th Street, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: ongoing. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in Illinois

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICKilling of Zheng ShaoxiongWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — CBS NewsCBS News · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — news.uchicago.edunews.uchicago.edu · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026