A faculty member was killed by a shooter at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, police said Monday.
Shortly after 1 p.m. EDT, UNC Police received a 911 call about shots fired at the Caudill Labs building on campus, UNC Police Chief Brian James said at a press conference Monday evening. The Caudill Labs building, close to the center of campus, houses a chemistry department.
Upon arrival, police discovered that a faculty member had been shot and killed. James said police would not be offering any further details about the victim as they work to contact the victim’s family members.
The faculty member was the only fatality in the shooting, and no other injuries were reported, James said.
Police identified a suspect and he was taken into custody at 2:31 p.m. Police will not release the name of the suspect until formal charges are filed, James said.
After the suspect was apprehended, the campus-wide lockdown remained in place while police confirmed the suspect’s identity and conducted a search for the weapon used in the shooting, which has still not been located, James said.
It is still too early to know the motive for the shooting, and the investigation is expected to last several weeks.
UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz offered his condolences to the family of the deceased faculty member.
“This loss is devastating, and the shooting damages the trust and safety taken for granted within our communities,” Guskiewicz said at the press conference.
Police gave the all-clear to students at UNC shortly after 4 p.m., following their warnings of an armed and dangerous person on or near the campus.
“An All-Clear has been issued. The shelter in place is lifted. Remain away from Caudil Labs,” UNC Police wrote on social media Monday afternoon.
The announcement came after police asked people on campus to remain indoors and avoid windows.
“Remain sheltered in place. This is an ongoing situation. Suspect at large,” UNC Police said earlier.
Police released a photo of a person of interest and asked anyone who saw him to keep their distance and contact the police.
“This photo shows a person of interest in today’s armed and dangerous person situation,” UNC Police wrote on social media. “If you see this person, keep your distance, put your safety first, and call 911.”
Schools in the area announced at 3:40 p.m. EDT that they had also received the all-clear to allow students to leave. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in North Carolina wrote on social media that the “dismissal process will now begin for elementary & middle school students. High schools will dismiss at their normal time.”
Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement that he has spoken to authorities and pledged all available resources to help find the suspected shooter.
“I have spoken with Orange County Sheriff Blackwood and Dept. of Public Safety Secretary Buffaloe and pledged all stat resources to capture the shooter and protect the UNC campus,” he wrote on social media.
