North Carolina – In a recent incident at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, local police gave the all-clear for students, faculty, and staff to resume normal activities after an hour-long lockdown due to reports of an armed and dangerous individual on or near campus. This marks the second lockdown of the semester under a similar threat.
The university activated the Alert Carolina sirens around 12:56 p.m., urging everyone to seek immediate shelter, close windows and doors, and await further instructions from emergency responders or university officials. The precautionary measures were put in place after a report of an armed individual near a bagel shop in the university’s Student Union.
According to an official statement, the incident arose from an employment-related conflict at Alpine Bagel, where a man allegedly brandished a gun. As of 1:58 p.m., the suspect remained at large and was not in police custody. Unfortunately, this event follows another recent tragedy at UNC Chapel Hill,
where graduate student Tailei Qi, 34, fatally shot associate professor Zijie Yan of the Department of Applied Physical Sciences on campus three weeks ago. Qi was subsequently arrested and faces charges of first-degree murder and carrying a firearm on campus. Regrettably, gun-involved incidents have seen a stark rise on school campuses across the United States.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics reveals that the 2021-2022 school year witnessed a record high of 188 shootings with casualties. This situation is still developing, and updates may follow as further information becomes available. The safety and well-being of all members of the UNC Chapel Hill community remain paramount, and authorities are working diligently to address the situation and ensure the continued security of the campus.
