UNC Police chief answers questions about campus incident

On Aug. 31, an individual unaffiliated with the University harassed and threatened students in Greenlaw Hall, directing racist slurs at them. UNC Police responded to reports of the incident, apprehended the suspect and continue to investigate the matter.

Carolina recognizes the fear, frustration and hurt the incident caused. UNC Police Chief Brian James answered questions about the incident, police response and resources Carolina has for those affected.

What happened and how did UNC Police respond?

At 9:21 p.m. on Aug. 31, UNC Police received a report of an individual harassing and threatening students outside on campus. Our officers were immediately dispatched and arrived on scene about five minutes later. We take all reports like this seriously, as the community’s safety is our primary responsibility.

The suspect had entered Greenlaw and threatened a student group gathered, using racial slurs. When police arrived, the individual was moving around outside the area on South Road. After locating the man with the help of students in the area, officers apprehended him. The time from the first call to police to when the suspect was apprehended was approximately 17 minutes.

The individual was taken into custody and admitted to the hospital because he showed signs of mental distress and agitation.

Was the person charged?

The investigation is ongoing, but after he is medically cleared, he is expected to be charged with disorderly conduct, vandalism, damage to property and assault. Warrants for his arrest have been issued by the Orange County Magistrates Office. He will be trespassed from campus and barred from returning to all University property.

The district attorney will handle the criminal case from there, as well as determining if the suspect’s actions should be classified as a hate crime.

Why was there no Alert Carolina notification?

I know there are many questions regarding Alert Carolina criteria and the notification process. Every incident is different, so we have several factors that determine how we respond. This connects to both our responsibility to notify our community under the Clery Act and our commitment to informing the campus in the case of emergency. Some of those factors include the nature and circumstances of the incident, as well as whether there is a continuing threat to the community.

In this situation, our officers apprehended the suspect shortly after receiving the call. There was no ongoing threat to campus safety.

We have launched an extensive review of the incident, including alert protocols, access and security for events held in academic buildings after hours and the coordination among responding units.

Why did police not respond to Greenlaw Hall until later?

The initial call we received indicated the suspect was near New East, so police responded there. There were no initial reports of injury at Greenlaw, so the priority was to apprehend the individual to prevent harm to additional students. Some students followed him across campus, helping lead us to arrest him on South Road. Their help was instrumental in making a quick arrest and ensuring the community was safe. This is a good reminder to our community to call 911 when you see someone or something suspicious.

Did police resources dedicated to the G20 event affect response to this incident?

This question has come up a lot, too, with the attention the event brought to campus, and the answer is no. Planning for major events like G20 and any other events on campus does not come at the expense of our core responsibility to the people who live, learn and work here. We had our normal active patrols working on Monday evening.

How did the person get inside the building?

Greenlaw was locked as of 7 p.m. Monday, so it remains unclear how the individual gained access. As mentioned, we’re reviewing security protocols for after-hours events like this, but it’s also a good reminder not to prop doors open or hold them for people you don’t know.

What resources are available to those affected?

This was a traumatic event, and we all acknowledge how frightening this was for the students in attendance, their families and the broader campus community. The Dean of Students team is available to connect students with support as we move forward, through counseling services, mental health resources and more.

What else should students know about the incident and response?

Protecting the safety and well-being of our campus community remains a critical priority for UNC Police and all University leaders. We’ll continue to provide support, and we’re committed to working with students and the community at large to advance violence-prevention education and other programming. It’s a shared responsibility to listen, establish facts and act on what we learn.