There were reports of a shooting at University Village Apartments near the University of North Carolina-Charlotte campus on the evening of May 1, 2019. The complex is not affiliated with UNCC but does house some students.
However, the university now says no students were involved.
“Detectives are investigating a homicide in the 9900 block of University Village Boulevard. One person has been pronounced deceased,” police confirmed.
“CMPD has confirmed one person has been pronounced dead after an altercation led to gun violence at University Village apartments. There are no other reports of injuries. Neither the shooter or victim had any affiliation with University. No threat to campus,” the university emergency management division wrote.
“There has been a confirmed shooting at University Village Pool, just twenty four hours after yesterday’s shooting on the campus of UNC Charlotte,” wrote Jacob Baum, who is involved in UNCC student government. “Multiple shots fired, One person shot.”
Earlier reports – which turned out not to be true – had said there might be multiple victims.
“NinerNotice: UNC Charlotte is monitoring reports of multiple persons injured at University Village apartments, which is located near main campus,” UNCC Emergency Management wrote on Twitter. “Police do not believe there is a threat to campus, but officials are closely monitoring the situation. CMPD is on the scene.”
The shooting reports came as the university was still reeling from the mass shooting that claimed the lives of two well-liked students and injured four others.
Journalists at the vigils rushed to the apartments. “Our crew at a vigil tonight for the UNCC students shot on Tuesday is now at a triple shooting w/ one person dead at University Village Apts near the campus. Police don’t believe there’s a threat to campus. @NinerAlerts is monitoring the situation,” wrote journalist Cody Alcorn. However, there were conflicting reports about whether there was only one, or more, victims.
Social Media Reports Indicated the Shooting Might Have Occurred at a Pool Party
“I was in my apartment and heard 5-6 shots, moments after i looked out of my window and saw several people in bathing suits running from the pool area, police and ambulances arrived shortly after,” wrote one woman on Twitter.
Another woman wrote, “Thank you for all the texts and calls about the shooting at my apartment, University Village. Me and all my roommates are safe.”
Joe Bruno, a reporter for WSOC-TV, wrote: “BREAKING: CMPD is responding to a shooting at the University Village apartments, located just minutes from UNCC’s campus….This is not student housing affiliated with UNCC but many students do live there @wsoctv.” It’s not yet clear wwhat the motive might be for the incident.
According to Bruno, “CMPD says only one person was taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. CMPD is reaching out to Medic to find out the discrepancy @wsoctv.”
A man wrote on Twitter: “Whoever lives at University Village by UNCC, stay inside and get to safety because someone just told me shots were fired at the pool?.. Seriously what the F*CK is going on.” That account had not been confirmed by authorities.
The Nearby Campus Was Deeply Traumatized by the Mass Shooting the Day Before
Vigils were being held on the UNCC campus on May 1.
One of the two victims who died in the earlier mass shooting, Riley Howell, was praised as a hero who “took the fight to” the UNCC shooter, saving lives. An ROTC cadet, Howell, 21, confronted the gunman as the shooter opened fire in a classroom, and Howell gave his life protecting his classmates, police confirmed.
“He was the kind of person who you knew would take care of you the moment you met him, and he always did. He radiated love and always will. As a friend said, ‘Beautiful souls like Riley are always with us in the way they made life more beautiful,'” his heartbroken family said in a statement.
The earlier shooting the day before (not the one at University Village) – allegedly by a former History student – sent students running from campus, hiding behind barricaded classroom doors, and sharing photos and videos on social media. When the dust settled, two promising young students lay dead at the scene and another four were injured; police said three of the wounded suffered life-threatening wounds and the fourth did not.
UNCC Chancellor Philip Dubois said during an appearance on WBT Radio that the victims killed in the earlier mass shooting have been identified as Ellis Parlier, 19, of Midland, North Carolina, and Howell, of Waynesville, North Carolina. Parlier was hoping to have a career as a game developer.
Drew Pescaro, 19, of Apex, North Carolina; Sean Dehart, 20, of Apex, North Carolina; Rami Alramadhan, 20, of Saudi Arabia; and Emily Houpt, 23, of Charlotte, have been identified by Dubois as the injured victims.
The shooter on campus was later identified as a former student named Trystan Terrell. The motive remains unclear.
“Everyone in this community stands in shock and grief,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles in a news conference. “…It is a time of unity.” A GoFundMe page has been established to help Riley’s family.
The gunman did not know the victims, police said. “My heart is broken…Riley was one of the good ones and he will be greatly missed,” wrote a woman who knew him on Facebook.