Kevin Jiang biography: 13 things about US Army veteran engaged to Zion Perry

Kevin Jiang was a United States Army veteran of Asian descent. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. He was born in Iowa City, Iowa, USA to Mingchen Jiang and Zhen “Linda” Liu. (a)
2. He spent most of his childhood in Chicago, Illinois, USA. From there, he and his family moved to Seattle, Washington, USA. (a) (b) (c)
3. He attended St. Therese Chinese Catholic School in Chinatown, Chicago. (c)
4. In 2012, he graduated from Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Cook County, Illinois. As a high school student, he joined the youth group at the Chinese Bible Church of Oak Park, which has been renamed as Cornerstone Chinese Church. (c)
5. In July 2012, he joined the U.S. Army where he served as a tank operator. (b) (d)
6. In 2016, he graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. (a)
7. In 2019, he moved from Seattle to New Haven, Connecticut, USA. In the same year, he enrolled at Yale University in New Haven to earn his master’s degree in environmental science. (d)
8. He was a National Guardsman and a member of the 118th Multifunctional Medical Battalion. During a the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, he was called up to help with the relief efforts in Connecticut. (b) (c) (e)
9. On January 30, 2020, he met Zion Perry on a church retreat. (b)
10. On January 30, 2021, he proposed to Perry. (b)
11. At 8:33 p.m. on February 6, 2021, he was fatally shot near Perry’s apartment in New Haven. (f)
12. He died eight days before his 27th birthday. Set to graduate in 2022, he was a sophomore graduate student at the Yale School of the Environment when he was killed. (b)
13. On February 23, 2021, he was laid to rest at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut. (e)

SOURCES:

• a. Forever Missed
• b. Fox News
• c. Chicago Sun-Times
• d. Kevin Jiang
• e. New Haven Register
• f. New Haven Independent