A tragic incident unfolded at the University of North Carolina as a faculty member lost their life due to a shooting on the Chapel Hill campus. The incident led to a lockdown lasting for approximately three hours. The alert to shelter in place was issued at around 1:02 p.m. in response to reports of gunshots being fired in the vicinity of Caudill Laboratories on the campus. The UNC community was deeply affected by the unfortunate events that transpired.
The University of North Carolina experienced a tragic incident involving a shooting on its campus. A suspect was apprehended by the police leading to a lockdown of the affected area. The lockdown was later lifted after the suspect was arrested and the situation was deemed safe. The incident occurred in Caudill Labs a campus building and police are continuing to search the location for evidence.
UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz expressed deep sadness and confirmed the death resulting from the shooting. However, the victim identity was not immediately revealed as the university was waiting to inform the victim next of kin. Guskiewicz shared his condolences and stated that the incident has deeply affected the university community especially as it took place in a space where education, research and mentorship occur daily.
The suspect involved in the shooting was apprehended by authorities around 2:38 p.m. Following further investigation and assessment the police declared the area safe and lifted the lockdown by 4:14 p.m. However, caution was advised around Caudill Laboratories as law enforcement continued to search for evidence related to the incident.
UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy. He confirmed the loss of a faculty member life later in the evening. At that point the identity of the victim was not immediately disclosed as the university was in the process of informing the next of kin. Guskiewicz conveyed his devastation and sadness over the shooting, emphasizing that the campus is a place of education mentorship and research. He extended his condolences to the family of the faculty member as well as to those personally connected to the victim and everyone impacted by the senseless act of violence.
UNC Police Chief Brian James refrained from immediately disclosing the identity of the suspect who had been taken into custody. He mentioned that the individual had not yet been formally charged at that point. Additionally, Chief James stated that the weapon involved in the shooting had not been immediately located, underscoring that the investigation was ongoing.
He emphasized the importance of meticulously collecting all available evidence to comprehensively understand the circumstances surrounding the incident including the reasons behind it. The goal of the ongoing investigation is to determine both what happened and the underlying factors that led to the tragic event.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper expressed his condolences and support to the University of North Carolina community in the wake of the tragic incident. Cooper recognized the distressing nature of the situation and affirmed the states commitment to offering any necessary assistance to help the UNC community during this difficult time.
UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz echoed these sentiments and acknowledged the trauma that both students and faculty members might be experiencing. He urged the community to utilize the resources available at the university to aid in their recovery from the incident. Guskiewicz also emphasized the importance of unity and coming together during such challenging times while acknowledging that similar incidents unfortunately occur across the nation.