Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are sharing haunting videos of the classrooms and campus areas sheltering in place from an active shooter threat. This is the second threat to strike the campus in recent weeks, with the last resulting in a professor’s death.
Student journalists on campus documented the last campus shooter in the same way. The coverage marks a change in how mass shootings could be prosecuted going forward. In the decades since mass shooting rates began to rise, police often solely had physical evidence and security footage to rely on. Now, first person accounts from survivors iPhones depict the terror inflicted upon the observer.
David Hogg, a recent graduate of Harvard University and co-founder of March For Our Lives, brought attention to the student’s documentation of today’s events. Hogg, who survived the 2018 shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, has turned his life’s purpose to gun control activism. The activist appeared with a number of UNC students at the North Carolina state capitol yesterday to urge the state government to turn their attention towards tighter gun control.
Just yesterday I was with students from March For Our Lives UNC Chapel Hill, demanding action on gun violence at the state capitol.
Now those same students there are in ANOTHER lockdown just TWO WEEKS after a professor was shot and killed there.
— David Hogg ???? (@davidhogg111) September 13, 2023
Social Media Accounts From Chapel Hill
Students are sharing statements from hiding regarding the absurd nature of the situation.
???? WATCH — UNC: “We are CURRENTLY in the middle of another shooting. I am DONE. We were just kicked out of our state legislature for demanding our politicians do literally fucking ANYTHING about this. Students are terrified to go to school… This is HELL.” (H/T @mfolunc… pic.twitter.com/diCjfTuVPu
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) September 13, 2023
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Students, professors, and other university staff are sharing eerie videos of the shelter in place sirens blaring on an otherwise silent campus.
For the second time this semester, sirens are sounding on campus at UNC Chapel Hill for an armed and dangerous person. How is this real life. pic.twitter.com/L3jbSd9JqK
— Evan Fisher (@EFisherWX) September 13, 2023
North Carolina state Governor Roy Cooper is now urging Republican state legislators to listen to the student’s concerns, as campus gun violence in the state has seen a disturbing uptick recently.
It’s a tough look to see a second lockdown only a day after some Republican leaders mocked UNC students who were protesting at the legislature demanding action on common sense gun reform. Instead of turning your backs, how about actually listening to them?
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) September 13, 2023
Several on campus at the time of today’s shooting continue to live tweet information. One X user claimed it took place at the campus bagel shop.
There has been another shooting. This time it was in the campus bagel shop. A colleague and I were in the pit right next to it but ran into in the library. We are currently back in lockdown and unsure of the situation. Please reach out again to your UNC folks. I cannot believe it
— Jake Sirlin (@jakesirlin) September 13, 2023
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Another student claimed that rumors circulating on campus alleged the threat was armed, while others claimed the person only had a knife. The student claimed that an all clear was then issued without an explanation of what took place.
Rumors are flying that there’s a knife and a gun, just a knife, just a gun, all the university has said is that there is someone armed and dangerous. I wish UNC would be specific in the alerts
— Valley????️???????? (@valeriescull) September 13, 2023
Amid the first-person accounts, onlookers continue to call for nationwide gun control.
If I had a nickel for every time my school was locked down for a shooter, I’d have two nickels
(Once in high school, once in college)
We need gun control.#unc
— Valley????️???????? (@valeriescull) August 28, 2023
Some critics felt that the students offering live updates were putting themselves at risk. The students begged to differ, instead offering that their live updates helped others stay informed and put a face to the victims of mass shootings.
People are wild. “Why are you tweeting during an active shooting” what else am I supposed to do besides text my loved ones and update people?? Twiddle my thumbs??
— Valley????️???????? (@valeriescull) September 13, 2023
Another student shared a poem surrounding the emotional turmoil of the survivor’s guilt associated with surviving the shooting.
A week ago, I start a poem as a means of processing the fatal shooting on UNC Chapel Hill's campus. Now I'm hidden away again in the very same classroom, and I finally found the words to finish it. pic.twitter.com/4qsBRJr0Hs
— Quarilaie (@Quarilaie) September 13, 2023
The university is yet to provide a reason for the lockdown, and did not specify whether the alleged threat was armed.
