University of North Carolina shooting: Suspect involved in UNC Student Union incident, campus on lockdown

In a disheartening turn of events, the University of North Carolina campus has once again found itself in a state of lockdown due to the presence of an “armed and dangerous person.” This unsettling situation occurs just two weeks after a tragic incident in which a faculty member was fatally shot on the campus grounds.

The distressing developments prompted a campus-wide alert issued at 12:54 pm ET, urgently instructing students and staff to seek shelter indoors and to avoid windows. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the perceived threat “on or near campus,” necessitating such precautions.

It’s a painful déjà vu for the University of North Carolina community, as just last month, they grappled with the loss of Zijie Yan, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences, who fell victim to gun violence on the Chapel Hill campus. Tailei Qi, a 34-year-old graduate student at the university, was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and possessing a firearm on educational property.

Campus police have called upon everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities immediately by dialing 911. Reassurance will be signaled through a distinct siren tone and a corresponding voice message of “All clear. Resume normal activities” once the threat subsides.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, this recent lockdown follows a UNC student protest against state gun laws at the State House in nearby Raleigh, where attendees passionately chanted “Vote Them Out” directed at the politicians present.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, cognizant of the situation’s seriousness, communicated to parents that they had entered a “secure mode” lockdown while ensuring that classes would continue as scheduled.

Remarkably, this alarming incident coincided with a UNC-Chapel Hill employee forum, where faculty and staff were providing feedback on the university’s response to the August shooting. In an eerie twist of timing, the campus alarm sounded just minutes after the university sent out an email soliciting the community’s feedback on their initial response to the earlier shooting.

UNC-Chapel Hill sophomore Hallie Brew recounted her experience, sharing the shock and disbelief that reverberated through her peers when they received texts from those in the student union, describing people fleeing the area. It’s a tragic recurrence that has left the university community grappling with profound sorrow and anxiety, just weeks after their initial ordeal.