UNC issues 'all clear' after second lockdown in three weeks on Chapel Hill campus, live updates
Here's what we know about the alert on September 13, 2023 on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. This is a breaking story and will be updated as WUNC confirms more details:
- UNC Police reported an armed and dangerous person on or near campus, in a university-wide alert sent to students, faculty and staff at 12:54 p.m.
- This is the second lockdown for students at the Chapel Hill campus in less than a month. The first happened on Aug. 28, 2023 when Zijie Yan, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences, was fatally shot on campus.
- At 2:14 p.m., UNC issued an 'all clear.'
- UNC Police reported at 3:18 p.m. that no shots were fired and "the situation was related to a personnel matter for one of our auxiliary units."
- Chapel Hill Police arrested Durham resident Mickel Deonte Harris, 27, on outstanding warrants related to an assault on Sept. 5. Harris was also being sought in connection with the incident on campus earlier this afternoon.
- At a 5 p.m. press conference held at the university, UNC Police Chief Brian James said that according to witnesses, the suspect confronted an employee at Alpine Bagel and brandished a firearm, then fled in a vehicle. The charges for the suspect are pending.
Two lockdowns in 16 days leave many UNC students on edge
In just 16 days, UNC-Chapel Hill sent out a second report of an 'armed and dangerous person,' causing thousands of students, faculty and staff to shelter in place on campus. According to UNC-Chapel Hill officials, the alert was issued because of reports that a person brandished a weapon at the student union. No shots were fired and the suspect is in custody.
The UNC community is still recovering from the fatal shooting of a faculty member in a science building on Aug. 28.
Today's news of another armed person and a second lockdown on our campus is concerning and can be traumatic. Law enforcement has determined there is no longer a threat to campus and a suspect is in custody. https://t.co/rIOL4SGpOU
— Kevin Guskiewicz (@KevinGuskiewicz) September 13, 2023
After the 'all clear' announcement went out at approximately 2:10 p.m Wednesday, students, appearing exhausted, poured out of classrooms.
UNC-Chapel Hill sophomore Avery Bales sheltered in place during a class when the alert went out on Wednesday.
"I keep my anxiety pills in my bag," Bales said. "So I just immediately grabbed my anxiety pill before the panic attack started. That is the first thing I do, and I did last time as well."
She felt her classmates were desensitized to the alert, after experiencing a lockdown just a few weeks ago, she said.
Read more about students' reaction to the second incident in a month at UNC.
Chapel Hill Police arrest suspect who brandished firearm at campus bagel shop
Chapel Hill Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the 'armed and dangerous person' alert that went out to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus Wednesday.
Police apprehended Durham resident Mickel Deonte Harris, 27, in the 300 block of Formosa Lane in Chapel Hill. They arrested him on outstanding warrants related to an assault that took place on Sept. 5 and he was being sought in connection with the incident on campus earlier today. Charges are pending for Harris, said UNC police chief Brian James.
James said that witnesses saw someone confront an employee at Alpine Bagel at the student union, display a firearm and then quickly leave in a vehicle. Officers swept the campus for the suspect and determined that they had left the campus, which led them to issue the all clear at 2:15 p.m.
UNC police are in the process of reviewing camera footage related to the incident, James said. Authorities believe that the suspect and the Alpine Bagel employee have some connection but are still investigating the motive.
Mickel Deonte Harris is also a suspect for an assault that took place Sept. 5 on Old Durham Road and Scarlett Drive, in which he pointed a gun and communicated threats, said Chapel Hill police chief Celisa Lehew.
Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz emphasized that guns are prohibited on UNC-Chapel Hill's campus and all university campuses and educational property across North Carolina, under a state law. He also recognized that many on campus were shaken that another incident happened so soon after the Aug. 28 shooting that killed a UNC professor.
"Imagine the stress, trauma and anxiety that a second lockdown in 16 days has caused our students, faculty and our staff," Guskiewicz said. "This pains me as a member of this community now for 28 years. And I’m committed to doing everything possible to maintaining the safety of all those who work, learn and live here at Carolina.”
WUNC's Liz Schlemmer contributed to this report.
UNC-Chapel Hill issues 'all clear' and reports no shots fired
An hour and 16 minutes after sending out a campus-wide alert regarding an "armed, dangerous person on or near campus" UNC-Chapel Hill issued an "all clear" Wednesday afternoon and told folks on campus that they could resume normal activities.
Officials said they activated the alert system due to reports at the Student Union of a person who brandished a weapon. UNC Police reported that no shots were fired and that "the situation was related to a personnel matter for one of our auxiliary units." Authorities also said that a suspect is in custody.
UNC has canceled classes for the rest of the day and will resume all classes Thursday.
Spokespersons for the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the Chapel Hill Police Department and the media relations office at UNC-Chapel Hill did not immediately respond to WUNC's requests for more information.
2:11 p.m. The lockdown on campus is lifted, we are resuming service. We are out of position and off of schedule, there are also concentrated areas of traffic for us to move through. Please be patient as service restarts.
— Chapel Hill Transit (@chtransit) September 13, 2023
UNC Hospitals told WUNC that it never went into a "lockdown" but did screen visitors at the entrances for a short time. The hospital said it had not received any patients related to this incident as of 2:21 p.m. Wednesday.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools also exited "secure mode" and will dismiss students at the normal time of 2:35 p.m.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools enter secure mode
(2/2) All CHCCS schools have been advised to enter “Secure Mode” which means the doors will be locked, people are not allowed in or out, & classroom instruction can continue normally inside.
— Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (@chccs) September 13, 2023
Stay close to your phone & email for updates as we monitor this new & ongoing situation.
'Armed, dangerous person' on or near campus, UNC says
UNC-Chapel Hill issued an emergency alert Wednesday afternoon about an "armed, dangerous person on or near campus." Further advice from the alert said that anyone on campus should go inside and avoid windows.
No further details or information has been given yet by UNC.
This is the second time in just 16 days that UNC-Chapel Hill has issued this type of alert. On Aug. 28, Associate Professor Zijie Yan was fatally shot in a science building on campus by a graduate student Tailei Qi.