Message from Vice Chancellor George Battle on the Oct. 30 Alert Carolina

At 11:31 a.m., Orange County 911 alerted UNC Police of a 911 call reporting an armed individual at the Ambulatory Care Center on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. UNC Police were on scene by 11:34 a.m.

Without immediate confirmation of an armed individual, but out of an abundance of caution, the Alert Carolina Emergency System was activated at 11:42 a.m., and the building was evacuated. UNC Police conducted a thorough search and a review of security camera footage and determined that no armed individual was present on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus and an “all-clear” Alert Carolina was issued at 12:21 p.m.

In addition, and subsequent to the initial 911 call, an unspent bullet was found on the scene and UNC Police have confirmed it was a bullet that belonged to a law enforcement officer who was responding on the scene. However, there is no evidence of an armed individual at the Ambulatory Care Center.

The University has been actively investigating this incident in coordination with UNC Hospital Police and other law enforcement agencies. We have carefully analyzed video surveillance and interviewed witnesses on scene in an effort to thoroughly determine whether or not any individuals were present with a firearm.

We recognize there was a gap in communication while the investigation was ongoing to confirm there was no threat on campus. We apologize to our campus community for the delay in communications about those details, but we want to make sure any information we share is as accurate and as complete as possible.

I am grateful for the quick response of UNC Police, UNC Hospital Police and our town and county law enforcement partners. They were on the scene within minutes of the dispatch and responded with thoroughness and great professionalism.

George Battle
Vice Chancellor, Institutional Integrity and Risk Management