One faculty member died Monday in a campus shooting at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, that sent students scrambling and locked down the university for hours.
The faculty member was shot to death in the Caudill Labs building on campus, with the first reports of gunfire coming just after 1 p.m., according to The Associated Press. A person of interest was later identified as Tailei Qi, who was apprehended about 90 minutes after the shooting. (RELATED: 4 Dead, Including Suspect After Shooting At Jacksonville Dollar General)
The shooter’s motive was not immediately clear, according to the AP.
Campus officials first warned the community just after 1 p.m. that an “armed, dangerous person” was “on or near campus.”
“Go inside immediately. Close all windows and doors. Stay inside until further notice. Follow the directions of emergency responders or university officials,” wrote UNC in an email to all students, according to a copy of the email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation from a student. The UNC Police later tweeted that all classes were canceled for the day.
This photo shows a person of interest in today’s armed and dangerous person situation. If you see this person, keep your distance, put your safety first and call 911. pic.twitter.com/NHG5CTjby4
— UNC Police (@UNCPolice) August 28, 2023
At 4:15 p.m., AlertCarolina issued an “all clear” alert permitting students to resume “normal activities,” though they were cautioned to remain away from the Caudill Labs.
The incident comes at a time when colleges and universities across the United States are beginning their fall semesters. Classes for all students at UNC began on Aug. 21, according to the university’s academic calendar on their website.
In 2019, four people were killed and two injured at a shooting at the University of North Carolina’s Charlotte campus, which is 130 miles from UNC Chapel Hill.
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