Examining the UNC Fatal Shooting
UNC students in front of South Building rallying for gun safety on August 30, 2023. Source for Photo: WUNC
What Happened?
On August 28th at 1:03 pm, students and faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were suddenly put on lockdown for nearly three hours. What started off as a normal day ended with thousands of students and faculty mourning the day’s events.
In the early afternoon, graduate student Tailei Qi was arrested for fatally shooting Associate Professor Zijie Yan of UNC’s Applied Physical Sciences department. Tailei Qi is currently facing charges for first-degree murder and possession of a firearm on school property.
How did the University Respond?
During and following the three hour lockdown on August 28th, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill responded in a multitude of ways. The University’s campus alert systems sent a warning minutes after police were informed of gun shots on campus. The alert system sent messages to all University emails and registered phone numbers and displayed warning messages in most classrooms and auditoriums. Students and faculty were advised to seek shelter and stay inside until the University gave the all clear. It wasn’t until 4:14 PM that an “all clear” message was sent out through the alert system.
During the days following the lockdown the University faced both praise and criticism for the way they responded. UNC’s Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz explained at a news conference that the warnings were displayed across campus and they had QR codes allowing easy access to emergency instructions. He also explained that all staff and resident advisors on campus run emergency drills regularly in order to be prepared.
There were mixed feelings about the University’s response with some feeling they did a poor job at providing information to students and faculty. Students were scared as they were being evacuated but got no information on when the suspect was apprehended, which students later found out was a little after 2:30 PM. One student stated that they were “pretty much out in the open to be shot.” While many felt frustrated with the University’s response, there are students that felt the University did a good job keeping everyone safe. Another student told the Carolina Political Review that “the University did the best they could during the event, but moving forward I want to see more than just spam-posting mental health resources on the internet.” Even among students and faculty that felt the University did a good job, there is a sentiment that the University needs to improve for future emergencies.
Many students also recall instances where the emergency alert was sent to their classrooms but their professors continued teaching like normal. This led to much frustration from students, as such a response in emergency situations can put people at risk of getting injured. In many buildings around campus, teachers use loud microphones and speakers to teach. These speakers make it easy to hear teachers as they lecture, but if faculty can get trained to utilize them in emergency situations then they can be used to provide directions to students. . In the future, the University needs to do a better job at training all faculty how to respond in emergency situations. The University has a list stating that in situations where there is a dangerous and armed person on campus, one must “lock the door, be quiet and mute your cell phone.” Teachers that continued teaching showed they are not adequately prepared to deal with emergency situations even with the University having publicly available guidelines on what to do.
What Happened in the Aftermath?
After the events of August 28th, there have been many protests, petitions, and news articles discussing the events. Students and faculty alike have been advocating for locks for all doors on campus, better training for faculty, and a more detailed informative alert system.
There have also been an abundant amount of resources available for students and faculty. UNC canceled classes the two days following the shooting, giving students some time to process the events that transpired. The University held a candlelight vigil to honor Professor Zijie Yan, allowing students to pay their respects and gain support. The University put a lot of emphasis on the different resources available so students could recover from this tragic event, such as their counseling and psychological services.
Two weeks after the shooting, students and faculty were sent an email asking for feedback on the University’s response. Fifteen minutes after this email was sent out, a gun was brandished at Alpine Bagel in the UNC student union. Students and faculty were disheartened to have another incident just two weeks after the first. Overall it seems the University has a long way to go in order to keep students and faculty safe during emergency situations. To keep the campus safe the University can implement mandatory trainings for faculty and students. Making sure students know how to react in emergency situations is important for a multitude of reasons. In situations where there isn’t a faculty member present, it is important that students know what to do. It also allows students to take control of their own safety when teachers are unable to react accordingly to emergencies.
What are North Carolina’s Laws Surrounding Firearms?
North Carolina’s gun laws make it easy for people to own guns. In the United States, a federal background check is required to purchase firearms from a licensed gun dealer. In North Carolina, however, you are not required to have a permit or background checks if you purchase from a private seller. A permit is required for those who possess concealed handguns, but there is also no state law requiring people to register their firearms.
Of the recent bills that were put in place this year, is one that removed the requirement of having a permit before you buy a pistol. Governor Roy Cooper had originally vetoed this bill, stating that it “would make it easier for people who commit domestic violence to be able to buy guns” and that “We need to go forward to try to reduce gun violence while respecting the Second Amendment.” The increase in the amount of guns, specifically illegal guns, in the U.S. has led to an increase in gun violence with the U.S. already reaching over 500 mass shootings this year. It is important that we enact laws to provide better education on guns and to limit the amount of illegal guns in the U.S. Gun violence has become such a big issue in the U.S. that it is now the leading cause of death in children 1-17 years old. Just in North Carolina, there has been a 47 percent increase in gun-related deaths from 2012 to 2021.
What Can We Do?
Advocating for safer and stricter gun laws is the best way to prevent future situations, like the one from a few weeks ago, from happening. For students and faculty who are North Carolina and U.S. citizens, this can mean voting for local politicians who advocate for bills that will help prevent gun violence. Even for people who are not citizens, you can still sign petitions and show support for safer gun laws. It is easy to buy a gun in North Carolina and we need stricter laws if we want to make sure guns don’t end up in the hands of dangerous people. As a society, it is important to protect each other and future generations. Part of this includes making schools a safer place. With there being over 250 gun related incidents across schools nationwide so far this year, it is clear part of making schools safer is stricter gun laws. We all want to be able to go to school and work without worrying about someone having a gun. When making decisions on what politicians to support, remember what happened August 28th. Schools are meant to be a safe place to facilitate learning, so let's make them safe again for future generations and to honor Professor Zijie Yan and everyone else who have lost their lives to school shootings.