WILMINGTON, N.C. – A shelter-in-place order was issued Thursday evening at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) after police received reports of an unconfirmed gunman on campus.
According to a notification sent through the university’s alert system, the initial report came in around 7:30 p.m. on September 18. A UNCW police officer confirmed by phone that an investigation was underway but said no additional information could be released at that time.
At 8:11 p.m., a follow-up alert confirmed the shelter order remained in effect while law enforcement conducted a sweep of campus buildings.
The heightened security response follows a week of increased tensions on campus related to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. On September 15, UNCW hosted a vigil in his honor, after which videos circulated online showing students repainting a memorial on the school’s “spirit rock,” a campus landmark used for free expression.
Earlier on Thursday morning, UNCW police responded to a separate campus threat that led to the temporary evacuation of Randall and Discovery halls. Those buildings were cleared after nearly two hours.
In a statement issued hours before the shelter-in-place order, UNCW Chancellor Aswani Volety emphasized the university’s commitment to safety, saying:
“We are taking any and all physical and online challenges to our campus safety and security seriously.”
As of Thursday night, UNCW police and partnering law enforcement agencies continued their investigation. No suspect has been confirmed and no injuries have been reported.
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