A man who was shot to death in San Jose was identified Monday as 37-year-old David Moglen, an economics professor with a penchant for underground, socially conscious hip hop, according to his employers, police and social media sites.
Moglen was gunned down about 10 p.m. on July 28, at Willow and Sherman streets, making him the city's 29th homicide victim, police said.
Police provided no other details. But the Mercury News reported he had been chasing a person who had just robbed him. No suspect has been identified.
"He was the kind of person who took an interest in his students," said Denise Swett, Foothill College vice president of student services, where Moglen was teaching this summer. "He took the time to relate to his students and have them be successful."
At Evergreen Valley College, where Moglen had been teaching for the last 12 years, the president, Henry Yong, said he was "deeply saddened." Moglen had been scheduled to teach again this fall. Yong said that Moglen ahd "touched the lives of countless students" and was "highly regarded and respected."
Nazy Gloyan was a student in Moglen's class several years ago and said the educator took time to hear students' perspectives.
One anonymous student wrote on "Rate My Professors" that the news was "absolutely heartbreaking. While I only knew him five weeks, he was a wonderful man and a great teacher."
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Moglen's LinkedIn profile indicates he also had taught within the West Valley-Mission Community College District. He specialized in macroeconomics and personal finance. He wrote two books and was behind Raven Odin's hip hop album, "Illicon Valley," according to his blog.
The album is about capturing the "angst and struggle of edging out of poverty into the lower rungs of the more privileged classes."
Moglen leaves behind two daughters.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283. Anyone who wants to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 408-947-7867.
