UC Berkeley Professor Fatally Shot in Greece Amid Ongoing Custody Dispute

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A tenured University of California, Berkeley professor was fatally shot while visiting Greece earlier this month, sparking grief across the academic world and renewed scrutiny of the tragic circumstances surrounding his death.

Przemyslaw Jeziorski, 43, who held the Egon and Joan von Kaschnitz Distinguished Professorship in Business Administration at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, was gunned down in broad daylight on July 4 in Agia Paraskevi, a suburb just outside Athens. Authorities in Greece are treating the case as a homicide, though no arrests have been made, and details remain limited.

Jeziorski, a respected marketing professor and father of two, had traveled to Greece reportedly to attend a custody hearing involving his children. Local media reports say he was near his ex-wife’s home when a masked gunman opened fire, striking him multiple times in the chest and neck. Witnesses said the shooting took place in the middle of the day, sending shock and fear through the residential neighborhood. The assailant fled the scene and remains at large.

University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) officials confirmed Jeziorski’s death in a public statement. “I am heartbroken by news of the tragic and sudden death of Professor Przemyslaw Jeziorski,” said Haas School of Business Dean Jenny Chatman. “Our focus now is on supporting the community during this difficult time. My heart goes out to Przemek’s family and loved ones. We will miss him.”

Over his 13-year tenure at UC Berkeley, Jeziorski taught more than 1,500 graduate students in business and economics. He was highly respected for his data analytics, marketing science, and industrial organization work. Students and faculty alike admired his dedication, intellect, and the energy he brought to the classroom.

Academic Loss

Those who knew him say Jeziorski was more than just a brilliant academic. Professor Zsolt Katona, a colleague who helped recruit him to the Haas Marketing Group in 2012, said his passing was deeply personal. “He was an amazing person, friend, and colleague,” Katona shared. “He had great influence on the marketing field not only through his research but through his energetic presence and optimism combined with a healthy dose of skepticism.”

Jeziorski was born in Gdynia, a city on Poland’s Baltic coast, and maintained strong ties with his family there. His younger brother, Lukasz Jeziorski, described their relationship as incredibly close, saying they shared a bond that needed no words. In a message posted to a fundraising page, Lukasz wrote, “We are doing everything we can to ensure that justice is served.”

To help cover legal costs, the repatriation of Jeziorski’s remains to Poland, and other urgent expenses, the family has launched a fundraising campaign on the Dutch platform WhyDonate. As of mid-July, the campaign had already raised more than 54,000 euros, equivalent to roughly $60,000.

The tragic case has touched people well beyond the UC Berkeley campus, drawing attention across borders. As investigations continue in Greece, with expected legal proceedings in Poland and the United States, Jeziorski’s loved ones are left hoping that answers will come soon.

For now, friends, colleagues, and students remember a man who left a lasting mark not only in the academic world but also in the lives of those who knew and learned from him.