Coventry student faces over two decades in prison for bus stop murder

A student from Coventry has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison at the least, after he murdered a fellow student at a local bus stop.

Pengqi Sun, 23, will serve a minimum of 24 years in prison for the murder of Shuo Zou, 22. Sun fatally stabbed Zou at a bus stop on Coventry’s Upper Well Street in the early hours of April 6 this year.

The two had gotten into a dispute the night before at a party in the house of a mutual friend, West Midlands Police said. The altercation escalated when Sun assaulted Zou, before the two were separated by friends.

Police say that Sun then went home, where he armed himself with blades from a broken pair of scissors, and a knife. He subsequently sought out Zou, and found him and his friends at a bus stop in the city centre.

Sun launched his attack, inflicting a fatal knife wound to Zou’s neck. One of Zou’s friends who attempted to help him also suffered serious wounds to his shoulder and hand.

Police were quickly called to the scene. Witnesses were able to immediately identify Sun, who claimed that his action was an act of self-defence when police arrested him. Zou died at the scene.

It is a tragedy that escalated from a minor disagreement and our sympathies remain with the family and friends of Shuo.

Detective Inspector Damien Forrest, West Midlands Police

Sun was found guilty of murder and wounding with intent by a jury at Warwick Crown Court on October 9.

In addition, he was given an eight-year sentence for wounding with intent, and two one-year sentences for possession of a bladed article. These will be concurrent with his 24-year term.

Detective Inspector Damien Forrest, who is from West Midlands Police’s Homicide Unit, said: “Shuo Zou died from a stab wound miles from home and his family.”

“It is a tragedy that escalated from a minor disagreement and our sympathies remain with the family and friends of Shuo.”