Campus Alert Archive
CSUF

Retired Administrator Stabbed 30 Times in Campus Parking Lot by Employee Concealing $200K Embezzlement

CAstabbingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On August 19, 2019, retired CSUF administrator Steven Shek Keung Chan, 57, was stabbed more than 30 times in a campus parking lot on the first day of the fall semester. His co-worker, Chuyen Van Vo, 51, had ambushed him to prevent Chan from discovering a $200,000 embezzlement scheme. Vo was arrested two days later and eventually sentenced to life without parole.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
California State University, Fullerton
Public Masters · CA
~40,400 studentsTitanAlert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTmulti-channel
Approximate reconstruction144 chars
TitanAlert: Police activity in Parking Lot S on campus. Avoid the area. Police are investigating a reported assault. More information to follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The victim was found with stab wounds in his car in the 600 block of Langsdorf Drive around 8:30 AM PDT on August 19, 2019
The first day of the fall semester; campus was busy with returning students
UPDATEmulti-channel
Approximate reconstruction214 chars
TitanAlert UPDATE: Police are investigating a fatal stabbing in Parking Lot S. The suspect has fled the scene. This appears to be a targeted attack. There is no active threat to campus. Avoid the south campus area.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Police determined early in the investigation that this was a targeted attack, not a random act of violence
Increased patrols were deployed around campus as a precaution while the suspect remained at large
Context

Background

On August 19, 2019, the first day of Cal State Fullerton's fall semester, retired administrator Steven Shek Keung Chan was found bloodied and with stab wounds in his car in Parking Lot S around 8:30 AM PDT. Chan, 57, had served as director of budget and finance for University Extended Education from 2009 to 2017 and had returned as a consultant for the fall semester. His co-worker, 51-year-old Chuyen Van Vo, had been waiting in the parking lot to ambush him and stabbed him more than 30 times. Investigators discovered a backpack under the victim's vehicle containing a wig, fake beard, zip ties, lighter fluid, a lighter, and a note detailing the attack plan. Vo was motivated by fear that Chan was about to discover his embezzlement of more than $200,000 through a fake tutoring business. Vo was arrested at his Huntington Beach home on August 21, 2019. He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by an Orange County judge.
Analysis

Key Findings

The attack was premeditated: the suspect brought a disguise kit, zip ties, and an incendiary device to the scene
The motive was financial concealment, as the killer had been embezzling over $200,000 from the university through a fake tutoring business
The incident occurred on the first day of the fall semester, maximizing the disruption and trauma to the campus community
Police determined quickly that this was a targeted attack, not an active threat to the broader campus
Outcome
Steven Shek Keung Chan, 57, was killed. Chuyen Van Vo, 51, of Huntington Beach was arrested on August 21, 2019, at his home. Vo pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Investigators found a backpack at the scene containing a wig, fake beard, zip ties, lighter fluid, and a detailed plan for the ambush.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Former Cal State Fullerton administrator fatally stabbed in campus parking lot (NBC News)
    nbcnews.com
  2. News
    Co-worker arrested in fatal stabbing at Cal State Fullerton campus (ABC News)
    abcnews.go.com
  3. Official
    Former CSUF Employee Sentenced to Life Without Parole (Orange County DA)
    orangecountyda.org
  4. News
    Cal State Fullerton stabbing: Man sentenced to life in prison (ABC7 Los Angeles)
    abc7.com
  5. News
    Former CSUF employee admits to killing boss to conceal fraud (KTLA)
    ktla.com
  6. Student Paper
    Jailed CSUF employee still awaits trial (Daily Titan)
    dailytitan.com
Tags
stabbingworkplace-violencecaliforniapublic-mastersfatalembezzlementpremeditatedfirst-day-of-classes
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion