University officials, students speak out after former UNCP student killed in shooting near campus
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW) — Reaction poured in Thursday after a former college student died in a shooting Wednesday evening near the campus of the University of North Carolina Pembroke in Robeson County.
UNCP police said shots were fired just before about 5 p.m. at the University Courtyard Apartments. News13 was at the apartment complex Thursday and saw some cars in the parking lot with bullet holes in the windows.
Charles Welch, a sophomore business administration student, said he heard the gunshots.
“I didn’t see when the shots went off,” Welch said. “But I actually heard the shots go off and when I looked outside, I saw everybody disburse.”
University Chancellor Robin Cummings said a former 19-year-old UNCP student, identified as 9-year-old Khalil Alford, died from injuries he suffered from the shooting.
Police were called out again later that evening after injuries of one person were reported. The 19-year-old was brought to Southeastern Urgent Care where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
Student Charles Welch said he was reading in bed when he heard almost ten rounds go off outside.
“I think I maybe saw, four or five people,” Welch said. “I’m not too sure but I did see everybody disburse once the shots went off and I heard a little commotion like you could hear people yelling and stuff.”
Another student at UNCP recorded audio from the shooting and multiple rounds can be heard fired in the audio.
Welch said he and others were disappointed in the university’s delay in notifying the community and students.
Gabe Esterhas, the university’s vice chancellor for finance and administration, said all classes before 11 a.m. Thursday morning were canceled.
“When we received the reports of shots fired, officers responded immediately and were there within three minutes,” Eszterhas said. “They observed nothing, so there was a judgment call and as to whether to issue it or not. So, I would say at this point, the delay was a question of what the judgment is you exercise at that moment, and that is something I want to say again we are still investigating what exactly happened every single minute there and what each person’s actions were during the event.”
Eszterhas said there are 20 sworn campus officers and thatmore security was brought in to help with student security.
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Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
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