UNC police release photo of gunman on or near campus, university on lockdown

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — Police have released a photo of a gunman at large on or near UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus on Monday afternoon. According to the UNC website, the suspect image matches an ID photo for a student named Tailei Qi.

The alert, which went out at about 1 p.m. urged everyone on the school’s campus to stay inside and avoid windows.

In the first video CBS 17 received from inside a building on UNC’s campus, law enforcement officers can be seen in a hallway within Caudill Labs. The officers are seen walking through with guns raised and wearing bullet protective vests.

A massive presence of law enforcement and EMS vehicles are lining the road outside of the Genome Sciences Building and South Road is largely blocked off. At least four agencies are responding on the scene as of 2:15 p.m.

Chapel Hill area buses were on hold due to the incident, according to a tweet sent by Chapel Hill Transit. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools were also under a “Secure Mode” across all campuses and offices, according to an update posted on their Facebook page.

As of 3:40 p.m., Chapel Hill school officials received an “all clear” from authorities and will begin their dismissal process for elementary and middle schools.

Just after 4 p.m., UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill issued an all-clear, which lifted their lockdown and resumed normal operations.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol has their helicopter in the air to help in the search for armed the suspect.

UNC-Chapel Hill said in an update for people to stay sheltered in place and that all classes and events are canceled for the remainder of the day.

Video courtesy Brendan Lynch

Governor Roy Cooper said via Twitter/X that he spoke with the Orange County Sheriff Blackwood and Dept. of Public Safety Secretary Buffaloe and “pledged all state resources needed to capture the shooter and protect the UNC campus.”

Gov. Cooper also added that his office is in communication with law enforcement and officials at UNC. He went on to say that this is a “tragic way to start a new semester” and that the state will provide any needed assistance in this incident.

CBS 17 has multiple crews on campus working to find out more.

This is an ongoing incident check back with CBS 17 for more information.