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Two Active Shooter Alerts Issued At NCCU; Four People Injured
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
**UPDATED: 10/28/2024, 10:00 AM**
It was a very unfortunate ending to North Carolina Central University’s Homecoming weekend with two unrelated shootings disrupting the festivities.
WRAL reports that campus police heard reports of shots fired in the parking lot behind the Debra Saunders-White Residence Hall at 7:43 pm on Saturday, Oct. 26. An alert was immediately issued.
Investigators determined that three shots were fired into the air, but no one was hurt. A suspect, identified as Danye Negash Medhin, was brought into custody, and police issued an “all clear” alert at 8:11 pm. Medhin made his first court appearance on Monday, Oct. 28, on a charge of discharging a firearm on educational property.
NCCU said it began suspending all remaining activities and clearing the campus.
During a campus sweep, officers in the area heard gunshots and issued a second alert to campus at 8:59 pm. The second shooting occurred near the Student Services Building on Eagle Campus Drive.
Four people, including an NCCU student, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, Joshua Michael Virgil, was taken into custody and is facing a charge of possessing a gun on educational property. His first court appearance is scheduled for November 25.
The University Responds
On Sunday, NCCU issued a statement. It reads, in part:
North Carolina Central University (NCCU) prepared and executed a comprehensive security protocol in preparation for the celebration of the Ultimate Homecoming Experience on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. Despite this extensive preparation, it is not possible to entirely prevent random acts of violence. Unfortunately, our campus was visited by two such incidents that impacted the joy and enthusiasm felt by our campus community and guests during this celebration. The NCCU Police Department responded quickly and admirably to address the incidents and restore a sense of calm to the community.
NCCU also said they have nearly 2,000 security cameras actively monitored around campus. In addition, NCCU police said that over 100 officers from multiple agencies were on campus Saturday.
Support For The NCCU Community
Support resources for NCCU students, faculty, and staff are available. Students who wish to speak to a counselor can visit the NCCU Counseling Center during drop-in hours Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 2 pm. They can also call the 24-hour line at 919-530-7646. Faculty and staff can use the ComPsych guidance resources listed on NCCU’s HR page.
We send our love and prayers to the entire NCCU community at this time.
