On Monday, the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill went under lockdown for more than three hours due to reports of an “armed and dangerous” school shooter on campus who shot and killed a faculty member.
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz commented, “This loss is devastating and the shooting damages the trust and safety that we so often take for granted in our campus community” as the public awaits further news on the motive behind the shooting and whether formal charges will be pressed.
The lockdown commenced after 1 p.m. following an alert sent to all students and staff about the potential shooter. Law enforcement arrived on the scene and surrounded the area around Caudill Labs and the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower.
The UNC Police uploaded a photo of the suspected perpetrator or “person of interest” on X, warning individuals to keep their distance and call 911.
This photo shows a person of interest in today’s armed and dangerous person situation. If you see this person, keep your distance, put your safety first and call 911. pic.twitter.com/NHG5CTjby4
— UNC Police (@UNCPolice) August 28, 2023
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper posted on X that he had pledged all state resources to capture the shooter.
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) August 28, 2023
Law enforcement officers were still arriving as of roughly 3 p.m., according to the Associated Press. Officers were seen escorting students out of a science building to safety.
At 4:15 p.m., the university alert system sent out an “all clear” alert, announcing the end of the lockdown. At the time, law enforcement had not released any information about the person of interest or any other details about the incident.
Eyewitnesses told the news station that law enforcement officers were seen chasing an individual through the neighborhood north of UNC Chapel Hill and successfully capturing and handcuffing him.
