Emerson College Professor Hit, Killed By MBTA Commuter Rail Train In Beverly

BEVERLY (CBS) – An Emerson College professor was hit and killed by an MBTA commuter rail train in Beverly Tuesday morning. Moses Shumow was on a bike crossing the tracks when he was hit.

Transit Police said he was riding his bike through the pedestrian cut through at Beverly Depot around 8:20 a.m. when he was hit by an outbound train.

"He come flying by and I screamed for to him to stop and he turned, and when he turned, he turned the wrong way and hit the train face on," a witness told WBZ-TV.

Shumow was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries and later pronounced dead. He was an associate professor of journalism at Emerson College in Boston. Shumow previously worked at Florida International University.

In a letter to the Emerson community, President Lee Pelton and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan called Shumow's death "an unimaginable tragedy."

"We would like to express our deepest condolences to Professor Shumow's wife, Rose, his three children, and to his family, friends, colleagues, students, staff and others who mourn his loss," they wrote. "Moses was passionate about the role of media in vulnerable and marginalized communities, and he was deeply excited to return to Emerson and to engage his students in this important work. The fact that his life and his work were cut short this morning is an unimaginable tragedy."

The 42-year-old professor had just moved to the area and begun teaching at his alma mater this semester.

A student named Hassan said Shumow inspired his class "to be better versions of ourselves."

"Not a day did he not come to class smiling and welcoming all of us," Hassan told WBZ-TV's Kristina Rex. "We felt at home in his class and appreciated."

Emerson College is making grief counselors available to students. Transit Police say this incident is still under investigation.