Bucks County prosecutors have charged a 32-year-old Philadelphia man with homicide in connection with the fatal shooting of his estranged girlfriend in Bristol Township, rejecting his claim that the gunfire was accidental. Yujun Ren was arrested on February 8, 2026, hours after police say he shot and killed 28-year-old Yuan Yuan Lu outside her home in the Levittown section of the township.
Authorities allege that Ren confronted Lu while she was seated in her car, drew a firearm from his waistband, and fired a shot that struck her in the head. Ren later appeared at the Middletown Police Department and confessed to the shooting, according to investigators, though he told officers it had not been intentional. Prosecutors, citing the sequence of events and evidence gathered during the investigation, have characterized the killing as murder and moved swiftly to detain Ren without bail.
Lu, who had purchased the home in 2023, was found dead in the driver’s seat of her vehicle in the 20 block of Outlook Lane. The killing followed a series of events that police say began the day before with an alleged sexual assault report and culminated in Ren allegedly tracking Lu to her residence. Ren now faces a homicide charge along with misdemeanor counts of stalking and weapons possession. He is being held at the Bucks County Correctional Center as the case proceeds through the court system.
The Fatal Encounter Outside a Bristol Township Home
According to a probable cause affidavit, the fatal encounter occurred in the early hours of February 8, when Yujun Ren confronted Lu as she sat inside her car in front of her home. Investigators allege that Ren told them he was upset by what he described as “hurtful things” Lu had said to him and by her decision to take their pets. Police say Ren approached Lu’s vehicle and engaged her in a confrontation while she remained in the driver’s seat.
Ren allegedly told investigators that during the confrontation he removed a 9mm handgun from his waistband. He claimed that he intended to frighten Lu and that the weapon discharged accidentally. Authorities contend that the single shot struck Lu in the head, killing her at the scene. When Bristol Township police arrived, they found Lu deceased inside the vehicle with what was described as an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
Hours after the shooting, Ren presented himself at the Middletown Police Department, where he confessed to the shooting, according to law enforcement. Despite his assertion that the discharge was accidental, Bucks County authorities determined that the circumstances warranted a homicide charge. Ren was taken into custody and later transferred to the Bucks County Correctional Center, where he has been held without bail.
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Court records show that Ren has been charged not only with homicide but also with misdemeanor counts related to stalking and weapons possession. Investigators also confirmed that Ren possessed a concealed carry permit at the time of the shooting, a fact that has drawn scrutiny as prosecutors examine how the firearm was used and whether the permit has any bearing on the alleged offenses.
Prior Allegations and the Timeline Leading Up to the Shooting
The investigation expanded significantly after detectives learned of events that occurred the day before the shooting. According to the affidavit, members of the Philadelphia Police Department’s special victims unit informed Bristol Township detectives that Lu had gone to a Philadelphia police station at approximately 10 p.m. on February 7 to report that Ren had sexually assaulted her earlier that day. Lu provided a recorded interview in which she alleged that the assault took place around 1 p.m. at Ren’s home in Philadelphia.
Lu told Philadelphia police that she feared Ren and that he carried a firearm. According to investigators, she also stated that she intended to end the relationship. The affidavit indicates that Lu decided to leave while Ren was at work on February 7. She packed her belongings, departed his residence, and blocked further communication with him. Authorities believe this decision set off a chain of events that led to the confrontation the following morning.
Police further alleged that license plate readers captured images of Ren’s Lexus apparently following Lu’s vehicle in the area near her home in the Oaktree Hollow section of Levittown during the early morning hours of February 8. Investigators say this evidence supports the stalking charge and suggests that Ren tracked Lu to her residence after she cut off contact.
The affidavit details that Lu’s prior report and expressed fear of Ren were known to investigators as they assessed the circumstances of the shooting. Prosecutors have pointed to this timeline, including the alleged sexual assault report, the breakup, the blocked communication, and the vehicle tracking evidence, as central to their determination that the shooting was not accidental.
Arrest, Charges, and the Ongoing Investigation
Following his confession and arrest, Ren was formally charged and held without bail. Authorities have emphasized that the decision to deny bail reflects the seriousness of the allegations and the evidence collected to date. In addition to the homicide charge, the misdemeanor counts of stalking and weapons possession stem from the alleged following of Lu’s vehicle and the manner in which the firearm was carried and used.
Investigators also recovered the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting. According to police, Ren’s aunt turned over the gun to authorities on Sunday, February 8. The weapon is undergoing forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation. Prosecutors are expected to rely on ballistic analysis, digital evidence, and recorded interviews as the case moves forward.
Bristol Township police have coordinated with Philadelphia authorities to piece together the events spanning both jurisdictions. Detectives reviewed the recorded interview Lu provided to Philadelphia police as well as license plate reader data and other surveillance information. The coordination has been critical in establishing a comprehensive timeline and understanding the relationship dynamics leading up to the shooting.
As Ren remains in custody, the case continues through the Bucks County court system. Prosecutors have not indicated whether additional charges could be filed as the investigation proceeds. The homicide charge, along with the related misdemeanors, carries significant potential penalties if Ren is convicted. For now, authorities maintain that the evidence supports their assertion that the killing of Yuan Yuan Lu was a deliberate act rather than an accident, a determination that will ultimately be tested in court.