The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has confirmed to the Niner Times that one individual was shot in an apparent drive-by shooting in front of the UNC Charlotte Center City building on January 31. CMPD also confirmed that multiple bullets hit the building, breaking windows but not injuring anyone inside.
Just after 9:30 this morning, UNC Charlotte placed its Center-City Building on lockdown and issued a “NinerAlert” to inform all students and staff of the developing situation. Many students expressed alarm on social media and on UNC Charlotte’s main campus.
The alert message read “Center City Building is on Lockdown. Shots fired in vicinity. Avoid area until further notice. CMPD is on scene investigating.”
At a press conference, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police announced that an individual went to the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the buttocks and that the shooting is not connected to the University. They went on to add that the shooting happened around 9:10 AM, nearly twenty minutes prior to the University sending out the lock-down notification. The incident is described as a drive-by shooting; car drove up and opened fire on the individual, impacting the UNC Charlotte building multiple times. CMPD said they “flooded the area” after the shots fired call came in.
Police are currently reviewing the cameras in the area for additional details on the shooting and hope to find a suspect soon.
UNC Charlotte removed the lock-down around 10 AM citing no active threat in the area. The investigation is ongoing and no arrest has been made.