UNC police neutralize active shooter threat within hours amid rise in anti-cop activism
The event comes as anti-police rhetoric continues to persist on college campuses.
UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz praised the school's police department for quickly and effectively responding to an active shooter on campus in late August.
Despite increased hostility to police officers, particularly on college campuses, cops at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were able to successfully perform their duty to protect the campus community immediately after a recent shooting.
UNC issued an “All-Clear” just hours after an active shooter was detected on campus and was first announced during the morning of Aug. 28.
At 1:03 p.m., the university released an alert saying that police reported “An Armed and Dangerous Person On or Near Campus.” Just over an hour later, the university told students to remain sheltered in place as an active shooter suspect was at large.
At approximately 4:15 p.m., less than four hours after the initial alert, the university informed the community that the situation was all clear but classes would be suspended after police had apprehended the shooter.
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According to Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, the suspect fired several shots at 1:02 p.m. and was arrested shortly after 2:30 p.m. The suspected shooter—named Tailei Qi—is a 34-year-old doctoral student at UNC. He reportedly shot and killed Associate Professor Zijie Yan before police took him into custody.
Chancellor Guskiewicz thanked the UNC Police Department for its prompt response.
“I am grateful to our Emergency Operations Center and UNC Police for effectively managing this situation and to our faculty, staff and students for their cooperation to ensure the safety of our campus community,” he stated.
“I am praying for the victim, their family and every member of the Carolina community. We will send more details and information as soon as we are able,” he continued.
Campus Reform reported in May that anti-cop rhetoric continues to flourish on American college campuses.
In April, students at George Washington University likened the school’s decision to arm police as equivalent to an act of “racial violence.”
Similarly, two Florida university organizations partnered with local leftist groups in May to demand that Tallahassee’s police department be defunded and put under the control of activists.
Campus Reform contacted UNC Chapel Hill, Chancellor Guskiewicz, and the UNC Police for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
