“In a shocking incident on Monday, a faculty member at UNC-Chapel Hill Fatal Shooting Claims Life of UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty Member to a gunman’s attack within a laboratory building located at the heart of the campus. The tragic event triggered a state of confusion and anxiety, leading to a three-hour lockdown not only on the university grounds but also in nearby K-12 schools.
As of the latest updates: During a press conference held on Monday evening, campus authorities and law enforcement confirmed the arrest of an individual linked to the incident. However, they refrained from disclosing the identities of both the detained person and the faculty member who tragically lost their life.
In response to this devastating event, all UNC classes and activities scheduled for Monday night and the entirety of Tuesday have been canceled.”
“The first 911 call reporting gunfire was received at 1:02 pm, according to UNC Police Chief Brian James. Subsequently, lockdown procedures were implemented across the community. UNC did not declare an all-clear until nearly 4:15 pm.
During this period, students took to social media to share videos and images. Police briefly detained an individual who was later determined not to be the suspected shooter, adding to the tense atmosphere. Parents and community members repeatedly checked their phones for updates.
Simultaneously, the situation was aggravated by false social media posts and unverified reports, intensifying fear and causing distractions, as pointed out by Axios’ Katie Peralta Soloff.”
“At 1:21 pm, alerts were issued instructing students to take shelter and avoid windows. Campus Police Chief James reported that the suspected shooter was apprehended at 2:31 pm, approximately 90 minutes after the initial 911 call. A photo of a person of interest was shared on social media just four minutes later.
However, the shelter-in-place order remained in effect, and UNC alerts continued to advise that the suspect was still at large until after 4 pm. Chief James explained that the delay was due to the time required for the police to positively identify the shooter. In the interim, another individual was briefly detained and subsequently released.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools system announced that it had received the “all clear” to dismiss students at 3:40 pm.”
Between the lines: Confirmation of the Shooting Incident Delayed Until 5:45pm Press Conference
The acknowledgment of a shooting incident during the afternoon hours remained unconfirmed by both the police and university authorities until the official statement provided at the 5:45pm press conference.
The sole formal recognition of the shooting incident earlier in the day came from Governor Roy Cooper, who, after issuing a statement pledging all available state resources “to capture the shooter,” confirmed the occurrence of the shooting to Axios.
The broader context: The alerts issued during this period left the campus and the surrounding areas in a state of uncertainty.
A substantial police presence converged on various laboratory buildings situated on South Road, near the iconic school bell tower, one of the most widely recognized landmarks in the state.
For many, these events invoked distressing memories of February 10, 2015, when three individuals—an N.C. State student and two UNC dentistry students—lost their lives in a tragic incident that unfolded in an off-campus house.
In response to these developments, UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz conveyed during the evening press conference, “This is a time for the community to unite,” emphasizing the unfortunate recurrence of such tragic events happening across the nation.
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