GREENSBORO, N.C. — “Hearing that a faculty member was killed, is really heartbreaking for me as a faculty member,” said Charity Watkins, Ph.D., NCCU faculty.
There aren't many details about the faculty member killed during a shooting on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus on Monday. There aren't many details on the suspect either, other than he is in custody.
The shooting just after 1 p.m. in Caudill Labs is under investigation. The FBI is now involved. As we all wait for more details on what happened and why, the death of a faculty member is impacting faculty all over the state.
Charity Watkins, Ph.D., describes herself as a Triple Tar Heel. She did her undergraduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and got her Masters there and her Doctorate as well. She is a product of the UNC System and a faculty member in the system as well.
"Anyone can walk into our classroom, including a student who may be upset about grades or whatever. I'm still waiting for the details of what happened, but it does give me a very big sense of fear about this as a faculty member,” said Watkins.
She is hoping people will be thinking of the students, the faculty, and the community as a whole. The shooting not only locked down the UNC-Chapel Hill campus but also the community around the campus as well as many public K-12 schools in the Carboro-Chapel Hill School district. Monday was the first day of school for many students in the district.
"Can you imagine that being your introduction to school? You have been at home with your parents, maybe you were nervous to go to school and then all of a sudden, you’re hearing alarms and ducking under a desk. That’s our country now, that’s unfortunate," said Watkins.
