Who is Tailei Qi and what happened at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill?

Law enforcement has released an image of a University of North Carolina graduate student recognized as a ‘person of interest’ following an active shooter alert that was raised on campus.

The individual in question is Tailei Qi, an alumna of Wuhan University in 2015. UNC police have shared his photo as they aim to engage with him concerning the incident.

The authorities provided a picture of an Asian male with short black cropped hair, wearing a gray t-shirt, during the afternoon of Monday.

Channel3 Now has uncovered that the physics student had been employed as a research assistant at the university since 2022, as indicated by his social media presence.

He also has a background of attending Louana State University and achieving a master’s degree in material science in 2021. Initially, authorities issued an alert about an individual deemed ‘armed and dangerous’ near the school’s Caudill Labs in Chapel Hill at 1 pm.

In an official statement, law enforcement mentioned, “The image displayed represents an individual of interest in the ongoing armed and dangerous person incident today. If you encounter this individual, prioritize your safety by maintaining distance and immediately call 911.”

Videos from the scene depicted faculty and students in their lab coats exiting the building while a multitude of police officers converged on the campus. A man was apprehended, restrained, and interrogated before being released as authorities determined he posed no danger. It remains uncertain whether this individual is the same person currently under search by officers.

The University of North Carolina (UNC) has confirmed that the campus is under lockdown while the ongoing situation involving an active assailant persists. The alert was issued at 1 pm, prompting campus authorities to advise staff, faculty, and students to remain indoors until further instructions.

An extensive emergency services presence has arrived at the campus, and armed officers are stationed throughout the school. Multiple agencies, at least four of them, are coordinating their response to the incident. Lecturer Noel Brewer reported being under lockdown in his office due to the presence of an active shooter in the vicinity.

He stated, “My office is currently on lockdown along with my colleagues. There seems to be an active shooter in the vicinity, possibly near the genome sciences area. I heard reports of a student being shot.” A PHD student named Jake Sirlin posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, informing about the presence of an active shooter. He shared, “There is an ongoing active shooter situation at UNC within the chemistry building. It appears that at least one individual has been shot. I am currently in hiding. I urge you to contact your loved ones who are on campus, especially those within the department. I have never felt more frightened.”

As of 2pm, the University has affirmed that the situation on campus is still in progress and has advised individuals not currently on campus to avoid the area. All Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools have implemented secure measures, ensuring that all building entrances are closed and secured.

The school district clarified that elementary schools will not release students until receiving an all-clear signal from UNC. They conveyed in a statement, “For safety reasons, schools have been instructed to refrain from releasing students to their families at this moment. Both the special meeting of UNC’s Board of Trustees and the Faculty Executive Committee’s session scheduled for Monday afternoon have been canceled.”