An investigation is underway following the tragic shooting of a revered Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, who was found dead in his Brookline residence late Monday night.

Nuno F.G. Loureiro, aged 47, suffered a fatal gunshot wound in his home around 9 p.m., as reported by WCVB. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Loureiro succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of the following morning.

MIT expressed deep sorrow in a statement, noting, “Professor Nuno Loureiro, who passed away early this morning, was an esteemed member of the MIT faculty, contributing significantly to the Nuclear Science & Engineering and Physics departments. He also served as the Director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center.”

The serene neighborhood was shattered by the sound of gunfire, with local residents recounting the frightening events of the evening. “We heard a really loud noise, which at first sounded like a crash,” said Anne Greenwald, a neighbor. “However, my husband identified it as gunshots. It’s terrifying. The uncertainty of what happened or why it occurred only adds to the fear. We are living in such unsettling times, and it feels as though violence is becoming more prevalent everywhere.”

“We heard a really loud noise I thought it sounded like a crashing noise, but my husband heard it and he said it sounded like gunshots,” said Anne Greenwald. “It’s terrible. I mean I don’t know what happened or why it happened but it’s very scary. We’re living in such scary times right now, but it seems like violence is just happening everywhere.”

Police have not said if they have identified a suspect. The investigation is being conducted by the Norfolk County district attorney’s office, Massachusetts State Police, Brookline police and MIT police.

Loureiro joined MIT in 2016 and joined the Plasma Science and Fusion Center last year. He was a researcher at a nuclear fusion institute in his native Portugal before joining MIT.