Northwestern student Chuyuan “Chu” Qiu was killed in a bicycle accident at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Garrett Place on Thursday evening.
The first-year Weinberg student was struck by the curbside wheel of a cement truck as she traveled westbound on Sheridan Road, according to Evanston Police Chief Richard Eddington, who called Qiu’s death “a tragic accident.”
Qiu was unresponsive when paramedics arrived and transported her to Evanston NorthShore University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead later that evening.
Eddington said that the police department has not found any traffic violations or wrongdoing by the truck driver, who was already through the intersection with a green light at the time of the accident.
Dean of Students Todd Adams identified Qiu in an email sent to the Northwestern community.
“Chu joined our community this fall and was originally from Nanjing China,” Adams said in his email. “She was a member of the Kaplan Humanities Scholars Program and lived in the Residential College of Community and Cultural Studies.”
Information about memorial services will be shared by the University as it becomes available, but Adams invited students in need of support to contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 847-491-2151, the Dean of Students Office at 847-491-8430 and the Chaplain’s staff at 847-491-7256.